Designer
Gae Aulenti
Gae Aulenti graduated from Milan Polytechnic in 1953 and from 1956 she worked in the city designing for architecture, interiors and industry and theatre scenery. In 1979 she was called on as artistic director of FontanaArte, creating timeless lamps and furnishing elements that are still part of the company's catalogue.
In particular: the Giova lamp (1964), Tavolo con ruote table (1980) and Tour table (1993). Together with Piero Castiglioni, she designed the Parola family of lamps (1980), wall lamps Diamante (1986) and Calle (1988), and the Diastema spot light (1994). Her many architectonic projects are prestigious and include the refurbishment and a new layout for the Musée d‘Orsay (1980-86) and the Musée National d’Art Moderne at the Centre Pompidou (1982-85); the refurbishment of Palazzo Grassi in Venice (1985-86); the new entrance for Santa Maria Novella station in Florence (1990); Palazzo Italia at EXPO ‘92 in Seville; the restoration of the Scuderie Papali at the Quirinale in Rome (1999); the renovation of Piazzale Cadorna in Milan (2000); the “Museo” and “Dante” stations on underground line 1 and redesign of Piazza Cavour and Piazza Dante in Naples (1999-2002); the new Asian Art Museum in San Francisco (1996-2003); the Catalan Museum of Art in Barcelona (1985-2004); the restoration of the Palavela in Turin for the Winter Olympic Games in 2006; the institute of culture in Tokyo (2006); the restoration of Palazzo Branciforte in Palermo and transformation into a museum (2011).
She received many prizes and awards including: “Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur” (Paris), Honorary Member of the American Institute of Architects – Hon. FAIA; Praemium Imperiale for Architecture (Tokyo), “Knight Grand Cross” of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Rome), honorary degree in the Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, USA).
Designer
Piero Castiglioni
Pietro Maria Castiglioni, a.k.a Piero, graduated in architecture in 1970 in Milan, where he lives and works dedicating, almost exclusively, to lighting design - private homes, showrooms, art galleries, museums, shopping and sports centers, hotels, offices, lighting public and external - and teaching activity at the University of Geneva, the Domus Academy and the Polytechnic of Milan.
From 1973 to 1979 he co-owned the studio in Via Presolana with his father Livio: they work for the design of lighting in the public and private sphere. Lighting fixtures are handcrafted in the study. The "Scintilla" system, produced by Fontana Arte since 1983, is the result of the experience gained over the years, followed by the design of lighting equipment for various companies.
For FontanaArte we mention among others: Parola, Canna, Calle, Nina, Edy, Sillaba, Palio. Since the 1980s the collaboration with international architects has led to great journeys and to the design of lighting for important architectural complexes. Remember: Paris, Musée d'Orsay (1986) - Venice, Grassi Palace (1986) - Barcelona, Museo d'Art de Catalunya (1987) - Seville, Expo 1992 Italy Palace (1992) - Genoa, Ancient Port (1992) - Lisbon, Belem Cultural Centre (1992) - Milan, Arcimboldi Theatre (1997) - Rome, Quirinale Palace Sala dei Corazzieri (1997) - Sao Paolo, Pinacoteca do Estado de San Paolo (1998) - Expo di Lisbon (1998) - Paris, G. Pompidou Centre (2001) - Turin, Lingotto Agnelli Art Gallery (2002) - Milan, Seat de Il Sole 24 Ore (2005) - Rennes, Museo di Bretagna (2005) - St. Petersburg, Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood (2005) - Barcelona, El Prat Airport (2009) - Milan Expo 2015 masterplan (2011) - Palermo, Branciforte Palce (2012) - Milan, Portello Square (2012) - Bergamo, Italcementi Research Centre (2012) - Rome, Roman Forum (2012) - Trento, Muse Science Museum (2013) - Milan, Garibaldi Porta Nuova Complex (2013) - Istanbul, Sancaklar Mosque (2012) - Milan, ENI Headquarter (2014) - Geneva, St. Pierre Cathedral (2017) - San Pellegrino, San Pellegrino Flagship Factory (2017) - Milan, Foundation Rovati (2018).