(1918-2002)

The architect and designer Achille Castiglioni, one of the leading figures of modern Italian design during the second half of the 20th century, passed away on 2 December at the age of 84. Born in 1918 in Milan, he studied there at the Polytechnic University and graduated in 1944, year when he began to work at the studio founded by his two older brothers, Livio and Pier Giacomo, and Caccia Dominioni. Achille and Pier Giacomo collaborated in projects such as the San Gabriele Arcangelo church or the Palazzo della Permanente, both in Milán, and in exhibtion designs, such as the Montecatini Pavilion or the different set-ups for the RAI or the Milan Fair. Together they promoted Italian design after the Second World War with simple yet ingenious everyday objects. The Mezzadro and Telephono stools, and the Ventosa and Arco lamps – the latter still in production since 1962 –are some of his most emblematic designs. Both brothers worked together until the death of Pier Giacomo in 1968. Their designs, a combination of the common and the amazing, were characterized by their simplicity.