Livio Castiglioni and his siblings Achille (1918–2002) and Pier Giacomo (1913–68) are responsible for creating some of the most iconic furniture designs in the world, particularly those that originated in the realm of mid-century modern lighting. Punctuating their legacy, the trio was among the founders of Italy’s Association for Industrial Design (ADI), which awards the country’s most prestigious and highly coveted design prize — the Compasso d'Oro.
In 1936, Livio completed his studies in architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan. By 1938, he, Pier Giacomo and fellow Italian industrial designer and architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni opened their own firm in Milan. Architects at that time were struggling to secure building commissions, so the group focused on designing everyday objects such as the Model 547, a tabletop radio for Phonola that was encased in Bakelite. By 1944, the youngest brother, Achille, had also graduated from Milan Polytechnic and joined his siblings at their studio.
The Castiglioni brothers produced wildly popular and innovative designs throughout the 20th century. Vintage furniture collectors may be familiar with Livio and Italian designer Gianfranco Frattini’s serpent-like Boalum lamp or Achille’s Taraxacum hanging lamp, which was created for FLOS with sprayed plastic polymers originally intended for military use. Additionally, the Arco, Snoopy and Toio lamps, which were the result of the collaboration between Pier Giacomo and Achille, are milestones in modernist lighting design.
Despite achieving success as an industrial designer, Livio left the firm in 1952 to pursue lighting design and sound technology. He worked as a design consultant for companies such as Brionvega.
Together with his son, Piero, Livio created the Scintilla lighting system for Fontana Arte in the 1970s and continued to design for multiple brands including Alessi, Artemide and Stilnovo until he passed away in 1979.
Find vintage Livio Castiglioni lighting and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Early Boalum Lamp by Livio Castiglioni & Gianfranco Frattini, Italy, ca. 1969
By Livio Castiglioni, Artemide, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Geneva, CH
Early boalum floor or table lamp by Livio Castiglioni and Gianfranco Frattini, produced by Artemide ca. 1969 Flexible PVC diffuser with metal rings enclosing strand of 25 light bulb...
PVC
Trepiu floor lamp by Gae Aulenti&Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo, 1970s
By Livio Castiglioni, Gae Aulenti
Located in Bastia Umbra, IT
Trepiu floor lamp by Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo, 1970s. Rare Sistema Trepiu Model 1405 lamp designed by Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni, 1970s. This uniquely desi...
Metal, Aluminum
Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo Floor Lamp Mod.6714, 1970s
By Stilnovo, Livio Castiglioni, Gae Aulenti
Located in Naples, IT
Floor lamp Mod. 6714 designed by Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni, produced by Stilnovo in the 1970s. The floor lamp has a chromed metal frame, two spotlights with black plastic fra...
Metal
Livio Castiglioni & Gianfranco Frattini for Artemide "Boalum" Lamp, Italy, 1970s
By Livio Castiglioni, Artemide, Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Naples, IT
This unique table lamp, designed by Livio Castiglioni and Gianfranco Frattini for the Artemide brand in the 1970s, immediately entered the history of Italian and world design. The Bo...
PVC
BOALUM lamp - L. Castiglioni- G. Frattini - ARTEMIDE - ITALY 1970.
By Gianfranco Frattini, Livio Castiglioni, Artemide
Located in Milano, IT
Created in 1970 by LIVIO CASTIGLIONI é GIANFRANCO FRATTINI and produced by ARTEMIDE, it was defined by DOMUS magazine as "A SERPENT OF BRIGHT LIGHT, it immediately entered the histor...
PVC
Large chrome floor lamp by Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo, 1970s
By Stilnovo, Livio Castiglioni, Gae Aulenti
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Large chrome floor lamp No. 6715, designed by Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni and manufactured by Stilnovo in the 1970s. In a Stilnovo catalogue from the 1970s this lamp had the fol...
Metal, Aluminum
Metal Floor Lamp by Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni, Stilnovo, 1972
By Stilnovo, Livio Castiglioni, Gae Aulenti
Located in Berlin, DE
Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni designed this floor lamp for Stilnovo in 1972. It is made out of chromed metal and aluminium with cast iron base. The four round lights can be rota...
Metal
Mid-Century Spot Lamp in Chrome by Gae Aulenti for Stilnovo, Italy 1970s
By Stilnovo, Livio Castiglioni, Gae Aulenti
Located in Roma, IT
Iconic adjustable spot lamp in the largest variant fully made in chrome and steel designed by Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo in the 1970s. This versatile wall or cei...
Metal, Chrome
$696 / item
H 7.4 in W 1.8 in D 7.7 in
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' Table Lamp in White for Stilnovo
By Stilnovo, Gae Aulenti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' table lamp in white for Stilnovo Founded in 1946 in Milan, Stilnovo was one of the most innovative lighting companies in Italy during...
Metal
$696 / item
H 7.4 in W 1.8 in D 7.7 in
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' Table Lamp in Gold for Stilnovo
By Stilnovo, Gae Aulenti
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' table lamp in gold for Stilnovo Founded in 1946 in Milan, Stilnovo was one of the most innovative lighting companies in Italy during th...
Metal
$5,648Sale Price / set|20% Off
H 20.48 in W 19.69 in D 6.7 in
Pair of Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni Trepiù Table Lamps for Stilnovo, 1972
By Gae Aulenti, Livio Castiglioni, Stilnovo
Located in Milan, IT
Rare pair of Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni 'Sistema Trepiù' table lamps for Stilnovo, Italy, 1972. Signed Stilnovo.
Aluminum, Chrome, Iron
$1,529
H 7.88 in W 3.94 in D 7.49 in
Minibox Table Lamp by Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni for Stilnovo, Italy, 1980s
By Gae Aulenti, Stilnovo
Located in Milano, IT
The 'Minibox' table lamp, conceived by Gae Aulenti and Piero Castiglioni in the 1980s, is a whimsical reinterpretation of a miner's 'torch.' Featuring a magnetic attachment, the refl...
Metal
$696 / item
H 7.4 in W 1.8 in D 7.7 in
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' Table Lamp in Green for Stilnovo
By Gae Aulenti, Stilnovo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' table lamp in green for Stilnovo Founded in 1946 in Milan, Stilnovo was one of the most innovative lighting companies in Italy during the M...
Metal
$696 / item
H 7.4 in W 1.8 in D 7.7 in
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' Table Lamp in Black for Stilnovo
By Gae Aulenti, Stilnovo
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gae Aulenti & Piero Castiglioni 'Minibox' table lamp in black for Stilnovo Founded in 1946 in Milan, Stilnovo was one of the most innovative lighting companies in Italy during the M...
Metal
Mezzoracolo Table of Floor Lamp by Gae Aulenti for Artemide, 1970s
By Gae Aulenti, Artemide
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Mezzoracolo table or floor lamp by Italian architect Gae Aulenti, executed by Artemide. This is the smaller version, but it is still 67 cm high. The other version is named Oracolo, a...
Metal
$1,464
H 77.96 in Dm 11.82 in
Postmodern Italian Floor Lamp RT3 Designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Relco
By Gianfranco Frattini, Relco Italia
Located in Doornspijk, NL
This floor lamp was designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Relco. It can both be used as an uplighter and as a reading light. With built-in dimmer. No longer in production.
Steel
$2,344Sale Price|20% Off
H 64.97 in Dm 21.66 in
"Quadrifoglio" Amber Floor Lamp Floor Lamp by Gae Aulenti for Guzzini 70s
By Harvey Guzzini, Gae Aulenti
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Stunningly ornamental Lamp designed by famous Italian Designer Gae Aulenti for the historic and iconic Italian manufacturer of lamps and acrylic plastic objects Harvey Guzzini. This ...
Chrome
$3,294
H 64.57 in Dm 20.08 in
Floor Lamp "Quadrifoglio" by Gae Aulenti for Harvey Guzzini, Italy 1970s
By Harvey Guzzini, Gae Aulenti
Located in Rome, IT
Midcentury amazing floor lamp "quadrifoglio" in chrome steel and white acrylic by Gae Aulenti for Harvey Guzzini. Made in Italy in the 1970s. Polished chrome circular base and four...
Metal, Steel, Chrome, Aluminum
$1,706
H 71.66 in W 5.91 in D 3.15 in
Early edition Megaron floor lamp by Gianfranco Frattini for Artemide, Italy 1979
By Gianfranco Frattini
Located in Steenwijk, NL
The Megaron floor lamp was designed by Gianfranco Frattini for Artemide in Italy. An iconic piece of midcentury Italian design, that is still in production. This piece is an early ve...
Metal, Chrome
Sold
H 2.76 in W 78.74 in D 2.76 in
Space Age Postmodern Model Boalum Snake Floor Lamp by Livio & Gianfranco, 1970s
By Gianfranco Frattini, Livio Castiglioni
Located in Hamburg, DE
The Boalum floor or table lamp by the Italian manufacturer Artemide based on a design by Livio Castiglioni and Gianfranco Frattini from 1970. A playful design and a classic of Itali...
Plastic
Sold
H 54.34 in W 18.51 in D 9.85 in
Livio Castiglioni & Gae Aulenti Trepiù floor lamp for Stilnovo - Italy, 1970s
By Livio Castiglioni, Gae Aulenti, Stilnovo
Located in London, GB
This rare floor lamp was the result of a formidable partnership between Italian designers Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni, who shared an instinct for graphic, Bauhaus-informed silh...
Chrome
Sold
H 55.91 in W 17.72 in D 11.42 in
Chrome floor lamp by Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo, 1970s
By Gae Aulenti, Livio Castiglioni, Stilnovo
Located in Rotterdam, NL
Floor lamp No. 6714 designed by Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni and manufactured by Stilnovo, in the 1970s. In a Stilnovo catalogue from the 1970s this lamp had the following descri...
Metal, Aluminum
Sold
H 77.96 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni Trepiù Floor Lamp for Stilnovo, Italy 1970s
By Gae Aulenti, Livio Castiglioni, Stilnovo
Located in Roma, IT
Stunning Midcentury "Sistema Trepiù" floor lamp designed by Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni and produced by Stilnovo in Italy in 1972. The lamp has 4 ...
Metal, Chrome, Aluminum
Sold
H 74.81 in W 17.72 in D 17.72 in
Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo "6102" Floor Lamp, Italy, 1972
By Livio Castiglioni, Gae Aulenti, Stilnovo
Located in Naples, IT
Floor lamp Mod. "6102" by Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo Italia, 1972. Floor lamp in chrome-plated metal and aluminium with cast-iron base. The four round lights can...
Cast Stone, Metal, Aluminum
Sold
H 77.96 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Midcentury Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni Italian Floor Lamp for Stilnovo
By Gae Aulenti, Livio Castiglioni, Stilnovo
Located in Roma, IT
Midcentury Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni "Sistema Trepiù" floor lamp for Stilnovo with 4 engraved signatures, Italy, 1972. Wonderful chromed metal and aluminium with cast iron base floor lamp...
Metal, Chrome, Aluminum
Gae Aulenti Sistema Trepiu Floor Lamp
By Gae Aulenti, Livio Castiglioni, Candle
Located in Dronten, NL
Gae Aulenti & Livio Castiglioni "Sistema Trepiu" floor lamp, original 1978 candle edition. Marked with candle label inside the shade. Beautiful vintag...
Aluminum, Steel, Chrome, Iron
Sold
H 77.96 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Midcentury Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni Italian Floor Lamp for Stilnovo
By Livio Castiglioni, Gae Aulenti, Stilnovo
Located in Roma, IT
Midcentury Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni "Sistema Trepiù" floor lamp for Stilnovo with 4 engraved signatures, Italy, 1972. Wonderful chromed m...
Metal, Chrome, Aluminum
Sold
H 77.96 in W 19.69 in D 19.69 in
Floor Lamp by Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo, Italy, 1972
By Livio Castiglioni, Gae Aulenti, Stilnovo
Located in Roma, IT
Sistema Trepiù floor lamp by Gae Aulenti and Livio Castiglioni for Stilnovo (4 incised signature), Italy 1972. Impressive floor lamp with four round...
Metal, Chrome, Aluminum