RECOMMENDED READING:
I luoghi del design in Italia - Baldini+Castoldi

The MAG - 06.23

By Cristina Morozzi

Cristina Morozzi's library, I luoghi del design, Baldini+Castoldi , Milan 2023

As I flipped through the pages of "I luoghi del design" by Antonella Galli and Pierluigi Masini, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement.

The book promised to take me on a journey through Italy's most hidden design gems, places that weren't found in any tourist guide. It was like being let in on a secret.

One of the places that caught my eye was the *Compasso d’Oro museum. Housed in the ADI (Italian Design Association) headquarters on Via Ceresio 7. It was a place where you could lose yourself for hours, surrounded by the works of the greatest designers of our time. But that was just the beginning.

The book also suggested a visit to the Vico Magistretti foundation-museum on Via Conservatorio. The foundation was a tribute to the great designer and architect who had left behind a legacy of innovative furniture and lighting pieces. And then there was the Achille e Pier Giacomo Castiglioni foundation, housed in the studio where the two brothers had worked for years. The foundation was a testament to their creativity, with prototypes, notes, books, and objects scattered around the space.

But the book didn't just focus on museums and foundations. It also took me on a tour of factories, hotels, and even a museum of plastic. I visited the Kartell headquarters in Noviglio, where Anna Castelli Ferrieri had designed a striking red building to house the company's collection of plastic furniture. 

And then there was the Molteni museum in Brianza, a must-see for any lover of Italian furniture design. 

The journey continued south to Sorrento, at the Hotel Parco dei Principi, designed by Gio Ponti. The hotel was a masterpiece of mid-century modern design, with every detail, from the architecture to the furnishings, carefully curated by the great designer.

The book took me on a journey through Tuscany, where I visited the Archivio Museo Bitossi in Montelupo Fiorentino. The museum housed the ceramics of Ettore Sottsass, who had spent many years in the town, perfecting his craft.

The journey continued through the Marche, worth a visit to the Poltrona Frau museum in Tolentino. And then it was on to Montecchi Maggiore in Veneto, where seats the Fondazione Bisazza, inspired by Alessandro Mendini, who had been the company's artistic director in the late 1990s. The journey ended in Murano, where I visited the Museum of Blown Glass, a testament to the centuries-old tradition of glassmaking on the island.