Biography of Pier Giacomo Castiglioni

Pier Giacomo Castiglioni is an Italian architect and Designer, Pier Giacomo Gastiglioni, who lived and worked in his hometown of Milan until his death, is still primarily associated with a stool reminiscent of a tractor seat, much like his brother Achille. This very stool, the Mezzadro, was created somewhat by chance in the 1950s. Gastiglioni worked in architecture and urban planning, curated exhibitions, and made a name for himself primarily in interior design. His designs for furniture, lighting, and home accessories are design classics and are still produced today by manufacturers such as DePadova, Dino Gavina, Zanotti, and Alessi., Stilnovo and Flos produced and are at TAGWERC Available as licensed originals.

Castiglioni Architects

Pier Giacomo Castiglioni was born in Monza on April 22, 1913. He was the second son of the sculptor, painter, and architect Giannino Castiglioni and his wife Livia Bolla. He completed his architectural studies at the Polytechnic University of Milan. Achille Castiglioni Pier Giacomo left school in 1937 and pursued a career as an independent architect and urban planner. Together with his older brother Livio (1911-1979), he founded an architectural firm in Milan on Corso di Porta Nuova in 1938, which their youngest brother Achille joined in 1944 as 'Castiglioni Architetti'. As early as 1942, on December 30th, Pier Giacomo married Maria Coduri de Cartosio, who gave birth to their daughter Giorgina the following year in Como on Lake Como. Giorgina Castiglioni would later continue the family tradition, also studying at the Polytechnic University of Milan and working as an architect and industrial designer in Milan.

From architecture to industrial design

When Livio left the architecture firm in 1952 to work for a radio station, Achille and Pier Giacomo continued without him. Building commissions were scarce in this post-war period, although the Castiglioni brothers, together with Luigi Fratino, prevailed against 16 other designs with their concept for the reconstruction of the Palazzo della Permanente. The building on Via Filippo Turati, originally designed in 1881 by Luca Beltrami in the Neoclassical style, was expanded by the Castiglioni brothers with an office tower in the Functionalist style and inaugurated in 1953. Three years later, they completed the Chiesa di San Gabriele Arcangelo in Mater Dei, a Catholic parish church and one of the few architectural projects undertaken by Castiglioni Architetti. For the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Milan, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni not only designed the building but also created parts of the interior. This resulted in the... Saliscendi pendant lamp Based on intuition: A system of rollers allows the lamp to be moved up or down. Changing its position alters the light intensity – both on the table and in the surrounding area. The Saliscendi pendant lamp is currently manufactured by Stilnovo and is available from TAGWERC.

Castiglioni's Credo

Recognizing the changing times, the Castiglioni brothers turned their attention to designing home accessories and interiors. A quote from Pier Giacomo Castiglioni aptly describes his design maxim: „Design must be simple and logical. It should be the result of a process of reduction, elimination, and simplification, and it should be original, not the result of effort.“ This quote reveals Castiglioni’s focus on functionality, simplicity, and the user’s needs. This led to the creation of unconventional stools like Sella and Mezzadro (both 1957), which transformed everyday objects—a bicycle saddle and a tractor seat—into new and surprising forms, increasing their utility for the general public. Pier Giacomo Castiglioni himself added: „The designer must be able to think from the whole, to see the relationship between the various parts and the whole, and to coordinate them. Good design must be functional, otherwise it doesn’t work. But the functional aspects must be expressed in a form that pleases people.“ For his studies and as inspiration, Pier Giacomo, together with his brother Achille, collected unusual everyday objects such as special tools and toys, many of which have survived to this day. In the 'Studio Museo Achille Castiglioni', the museum dedicated to the Milanese brothers' work and run by the 'Fondazione Achille Castiglioni', the collection, later continued by Achille alone, filled entire wall cabinets.

Dynamic sitting

Design as a means to solve problems – Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni are known for immersing themselves in their designs and adopting the user's perspective. The Sella stool, for example, is one of the first dynamic seating options that encourages active sitting – long before dynamic seating like the Swopper, Sitness, fitness stools, and the like. When the Castiglionis set up their exhibition 'Colori e forme nella casa d'oggi' (Colors and Forms in the Home Today) in 1957 at the Villa Olmo in Como on Lake Como, it was a simple red tractor seat, mounted on a frame, which – almost as a visitor's chair – was placed in front of a desk. What appeared at the time as a kind of home accessory or quirky decorative object, and met with little understanding from visitors, would go into mass production at Zanotta twenty years later and enter history as the 'essence of Castiglioni'.

Innovative lighting design

Undoubtedly the most creative period for the Castiglioni brothers has begun, and it is also the time in which several Italian interior design manufacturers have their roots: Martinelli Luce (1950), Zanotta (1954), Flos (1962) – to name just a few. Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni are particularly closely associated with Flos, as their designs produced by Flos are the driving force behind the Italian company's reputation for innovative lighting design.

World Exposition in Montreal

With the Castiglion arc lamp Arco Flos got off to a furious start in 1962. floor lamp It is also a pendant lamp. A hybrid, its expansive metal arch is held by a 60-kilogram block of marble from the Carrara quarries. The table lamp was also produced in the same year. Taccia and the Toio floor lamp. The latter consists of a car headlight mounted on a steel pole, as well as the Pitagora espresso machine for the renowned portafilter machine manufacturer La Cimbali. The Castiglioni brothers also realized many interior design projects, including the interior of the Italian pavilion at the 1967 World's Fair in Montreal. This project focused on the use of natural light and an open floor plan, features that are now—more than half a century later—essential in any new building.

Milan – a stronghold of design

Milan, Castiglioni's hometown and the second largest city in Lombardy, undoubtedly stands out as a center for design, hosting the Salone del Mobile Milano, the world's leading trade fair for interior design. When the Associazione per il Disegno Industriale (ADI), the Association for Industrial Design, was founded in Milan in 1956, the Castiglioni brothers were among the founding members. They also played a key role in the development of the‚Snoopy‘The Snoopy table lamp was designed by Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1967. Its simple yet expressive form is reminiscent of the famous cartoon dog Snoopy, after which it was named. It had a significant influence on the development of modern design and remains a charismatic classic to this day. Castiglioni championed the idea that design should be accessible and affordable for everyone, as good design improves the quality of life and, consequently, society. These convictions inspired him to create designs that were both functional and optimized for manufacturing.

Lecturer for aspiring architects

For four years (1964 to 1968) Pier Giacomo Castiglioni taught as a lecturer at the architecture faculty of the Polytechnic in Milan, passing on his design principles to aspiring architects as part of his professorship.

Two heads on one body

In the midst of their success, 1968 brought a shock: one of the most devastating blows for Achille Castiglioni was undoubtedly the untimely death of his brother, Pier Giacomo. Just as Castiglioni Architetti was gaining momentum, Pier Giacomo died. On Wednesday, November 27, 1968, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni was suddenly and unexpectedly taken from life in Milan at the age of only 55. The exact cause of death was never revealed. "Like two heads on one body," is how the 'Corriere della Sera', Italy's highest-circulation daily newspaper, described the relationship between the two brothers – not only familial, but especially professional. Achille showed no sign of grief, simply carried on, and acted as if Pier Giacomo were still there, sitting by his side as he had been all those years before.

20th Century Designers

His visionary designs remain legendary to this day. Castiglioni received several international awards for his work throughout his career, including the Compasso d'Oro for his work in lighting design. His designs are still produced by renowned manufacturers and can be found in museums and private collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMAHis work has been exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, and the Triennale Design Museum in Milan. He is considered one of the most important designers of the 20th century, and his work continues to have a lasting influence on the world of design.

Pier Giacomo Castiglioni at TAGWERC

At TAGWERC, you'll find the Achille Castiglioni Design Classics Collection. Explore a curated selection of design objects by Pier Giacomo Castiglioni online at the TAGWERC Design STORE. We'd be happy to provide you with a personalized quote for any Castiglioni pieces not listed here.