Alessandro Mendini was born in Milan in 1931. Through his work as an architect, designer, journalist, theorist and publisher, Mendini helped establish the Italian design sensibility on a global scale with a particular focus on neo-modern, avant-garde design as well as the crossover between art, design and architecture.
Mendini’s influential work spanned the arenas of graphics, furniture, interiors, architecture, stage design, writing and painting. He graduated from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1959, and he began his career at the studio of artist-designer Marcello Nizzoli. He went on to become the publisher of the popular magazines Casabella (1970–76), Modo and Domus (each 1979–85).
In 1979, Mendini joined Ettore Sottsass and Michele de Lucchi as a partner at Studio Alchimia, a harbinger of the Memphis Group before he cofounded Domus Academy in 1982. In 1989, he and his brother Francesco established their architectural practice, Atelier Mendini, in Milan, where he worked until his death in February 2019. In recognition of his outstanding body of work, Mendini was awarded the Compasso d’Oro twice, in 1979 and 1981. He was also honored by the Architectural League of New York, made Chevalier des Arts et Lettres in France, and, in 2014, he was awarded the European Prize for Architecture.
Mendini’s work is included in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris, among others.
Find vintage Alessandro Mendini chairs, vases, table lamps and other furniture and decorative objects on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by STUDIO CADMIUM)
Ceiling lamp "Deriva" Decoration 1, Alessandro Mendini, Fragile Edizioni, 2015
By Alessandro Mendini, Fragile Edizioni
Located in Milano, Lombardia
"Deriva" is a hanging lamp with direct and indirect LED light, an evolution of the ceiling light fixtures especially designed for Fragile's new location in the centre of Milan. It wa...
Metal
Ceiling lamp "Deriva di Proust", Alessandro Mendini for Fragile Edizioni, 2015
By Alessandro Mendini, Fragile Edizioni
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Deriva is a hanging lamp with direct and indirect LED light, an evolution of the ceiling light fixtures especially designed for Fragile's new location in the centre of Milan. It was ...
Chrome, Metal
Falkland lamp, design by Bruno Munari for Danese, first editions, Italy
By Danese Milano, Bruno Munari
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Famous Falkland hanging lamp, designed by Bruno Munari for Danese in 1964. Composed of an aluminum reflector and a white tubular elastic mesh diffuser, supported by seven metal rings...
Aluminum
"f1158" pendant lamp, design by Sandro Pizzi for Candle, 1980
By Candle
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Suspension lamp that can also be used as a ceiling light, mod. f1158, designed by Sandro Pizzi and produced by Candle c. 1980. The lamp consists of a long white painted metal reflec...
Metal
Lampada a soffitto in vetro di Murano anni 70 mod. Tinta, produzione Leucos
By Noti Massari, Leucos
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Grande campana in vetro di Murano a base nera con murrine colorate di grande dimensione. Design Noti Massari per Leucos, modello Tinta, 1971.
Murano Glass
Lampada LS 185 a fiore in vetro di Murano, design Carlo Nason per AV Mazzega
By AVMazzega, Carlo Nason
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Lampada a sospensione LS 185 a forma di fiore con petali in vetro di Murano a piastra color verde, design di Carlo Nason per A.V. Mazzega. Italia, anno 1970 ca. Disponibile anche in ...
Glass
Santa Monica Ceiling Lamp USA 110 Volts, by Matteo Thun from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Matteo Thun, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the Santa Monica Ceiling Lamp with US wiring accessibility, designed in 1983 by Matteo Thun. The ceiling lamp-shade is in ceramic, and lamp's bulb is not included....
Ceramic
Sidone Suspension Lamp by De Pas, D'Urbino and Lomazzi for Artemide, 1980
By Artemide, Gionathan de Pas & Donato D’Urbino & Paolo Lomazzi
Located in Ravenna, IT
Sidone pendant lamp, designed by De Pas, D'Urbino and Lomazzi for Artemide in 1980. The lamp features an elegant upturned truncated cone shade made of pearl gray painted metal. The l...
Metal
Santa Ana Ceramic Ceiling Lamp USA 110 Volts, by Matteo Thun from Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Matteo Thun, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the Santa Ana Ceramic ceiling lamp with US wiring accessibility, designed in 1983 by Matteo Thun. The lamp is numbered and does not include the bulb. Born 1952 ...
Ceramic
Santa Ana Ceramic Ceiling Lamp EU 220 Volts, by Matteo Thun for Memphis Milano
By Memphis Group, Matteo Thun, Memphis Milano
Located in La Morra, Cuneo
Here you are shown the Santa Ana Ceramic Ceiling Lamp with EU wiring accessibility, designed in 1983 by Matteo Thun. The Lamp is numbered and does not include the bulb. Born 1952 in...
Ceramic
A RADICAL MINIMAL POST-MODERN Ceiling Light by VERRE LUMIERE, France 1980
By Verre Lumière
Located in PARIS, FR
A very large, elegant and minimal suspension, chandelier, Post-Modernist, Bauhaus, Constructivist, Memphis, main axis in slightly granite matte black lacquered tubular metal, interlo...
Metal
Pendant light Alesia by Carlo Forcolini for Artemide - 1980s
By Carlo Forcolini
Located in Uccle, Bruxelles
Amazing pendant light " Alesia" by Carlo Forcolini for Artemide in the 1980s. This pendant light has two special features. The first is its cable that extends up to 200 cm. This ca...
Metal
Alessandro Mendini, Michael Graves, Ettore Sottsass and other design luminaries contributed to this unusual collection of porcelain wares representing a time capsule of late-20th-century decorative art.
Aided by photos taken of the maestro in his Milan studio, we honor the influential design talent who died last month at 87.
