Designography for Castiglioni Architetti

The brothers Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni were Italian architects and designers. Designerwho, together with Livio #Castiglioni, realized a large number of projects in the fields of architecture, exhibitions and design under the name Castiglioni Architetti in Milan.

Overall concept Milan Chamber of Commerce

When Livio left the architecture firm in 1952, Achille and Pier Giacomo carried on without him. The Castiglioni brothers not only designed the building for the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Milan, but also designed parts of the interior. One of the most spectacular designs at the time was the height-adjustable Saliscendi pendant light, which was used here in the conference room. A flagship of Italian design and a furious new development at the time. What sounds simple turns out to be ingenious: a system of rollers and cables allows the luminaire to be pushed up or pulled down. The highlight: the light intensity changes with the change in position - both on the table and in the surroundings. Originally only produced as a prototype, this ingenious and historic pendant light can now be ordered for the home. The Saliscendi pendant light is now manufactured by Stilnovo and is available from TAGWERC as a licensed original.

Bicycle saddle and tractor seat

The Castiglioni brothers recognized the signs of the times, turned their backs on architecture and concentrated on designing home accessories and interiors. They created unconventional stools such as Sella and Mezzadro (both 1957), which gave everyday objects - a bicycle saddle and a tractor seat - a new and surprising shape and increased their utility value for the general public. The Sella stool, for example, was one of the first pieces of seating furniture that encouraged the user to sit actively - long before dynamic seating furniture such as the Swopper, Sitness, fitness stool and the like. When the Castiglionis set up their exhibition 'Colori e forme nella casa d'oggi' (Colours and shapes in the home today) at Villa Olmo in Como on Lake Como in 1957, it was a simple red tractor seat mounted on a frame, which was placed in front of a desk - as a visitor's chair, so to speak. What at the time appeared to be a quirky decorative object and caused visitors to shake their heads and discuss it, went into series production at Zanotta twenty years later and went down in history as the 'essence of Castiglioni'.

Innovative luminaire design

The Castiglioni brothers' most creative period had begun and it was also the time when several Italian interior manufacturers began their activities: Martinelli Luce (1950), Zanotta (1954), Flos (1962) - to name but a few. Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni were closely associated with Flos, as their designs produced by Flos were the driving force behind the Italian company's reputation for innovative lighting design to this day.

From Arco to Traxacum

Flos got off to a flying start in 1962 with Castiglion's Arco arc lamp. The same year saw the table lamp Taccia and the floor lamp Toio, as well as the Pitagora espresso machine for the renowned manufacturer of portafilter machines La Cimbali. This was followed by further lamp designs produced by Flos: Parenthesi (1970), the table lamp Lampadina , the table- and wall light Noce (both 1972), Aoy (1975), Bibip (1976), Frisbi (1978), Gibigiana (1980), Moni and Giovi (both 1982), Stylos (1984), Traxacum (1988), Brera (1992), Fucsia (1996) and Diabolo (1998).

Design history of the Castiglioni brothers

In the midst of their success came the shock of Pier Giacomo's early death in 1968 at the age of just 55. "Like two heads on one body" was how the 'Corriere della Sera', Italy's highest-circulation daily newspaper, described the relationship between the two brothers - not only in family terms, but above all in professional terms. The designs by Castiglioni Architetti are valuable design classics and tell the design story of these outstanding brothers. At TAGWERC you can obtain Castiglioni Architetti design classics. A curated selection of Castiglioni Architetti design objects can be ordered online at TAGWERC Design STORE. For all designs by the Castiglioni brothers not listed here, we will be happy to make you an offer.