Milanese designer and architect Achille Castiglioni sought to inject personality into all of his work, and found deep inspiration in everyday objects. A legend of Italian mid-century modernism, he created iconic, universally loved table lamps, chairs and other lighting and furniture with his likeminded brothers during the postwar years.
There was the Snoopy lamp, which brings to mind the unmistakable Peanuts character, while the shape of a common street lamp inspired the design behind the Arco floor lamp. Elsewhere, the Toio floor lamp — a provocative fixture in any living room — was made with automotive parts as well as run-of-the-mill recreational gear.
Castiglioni studied the classics at Liceo Classico Giuseppe Parini, art at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and finally architecture and design at the Polytechnic University of Milan. After graduating in 1944, Castiglioni began working with his brothers Pier Giacomo and Livio at the studio they cofounded with classmate Luigi Caccia Dominioni.
Livio left to pursue lighting design and sound technology, leaving Achille and Pier Giacomo to continue to collaborate on various projects. One such design was the iconic Taraxacum hanging lamp for FLOS which featured a resin “cocoon” created with sprayed plastic polymers that protects its steel core and allows for the diffusion of light.
Castiglioni won Italy’s highest award for industrial design — the Compasso d’Oro — seven times, and the Museum of Modern Art was home to his first individual retrospective in the United States. Castiglioni later taught at the Polytechnic University of Turin and at Polytechnic in Milan.
Castiglioni’s designs remain timeless. Some of them can be found in Tokyo’s Living Design Center Ozone, the Triennale di Milano and the Hangaram Art Museum at the Seoul Arts Center.
Find vintage Achille Castiglioni lighting, seating, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
"Morbio" Ash Wood and Fenix Dining Table by Achille Castiglioni for Meritalia
By Achille Castiglioni, Meritalia
Located in Varedo, MB
Designed by Achille Castiglioni for Meritalia®, the Morbio table is an ingenious masterclass in everyday functionality, subtle irony, and comfortable conviviality. Defined by its com...
Ash
Gervasoni EIDOS 143 Round Coffee Table - Concrete top - Gabriele & Oscar Buratti
By Oscar e Gabriele Buratti, Gervasoni
Located in Varedo, MB
Eidos 143, designed by Gabriele & Oscar Buratti for Gervasoni, is a round coffee table that combines essential design with refined material contrasts, creating a compact and elegant ...
Cement
Extendable coffee table Naos EXTREMIS Design A. Casati
By Naos
Located in Varedo, MB
EXTREMIS - Extendable Coffee Table Design: A. Casati The Extremis coffee table is a sophisticated and innovative piece, combining functional design with contemporary elegance. Featu...
Steel
"Morbio" Ash Wood and Fenix Dining Table by Achille Castiglioni for Meritalia
By Achille Castiglioni, Meritalia
Located in Varedo, MB
Designed by Achille Castiglioni for Meritalia®, the Morbio table is an ingenious masterclass in everyday functionality, subtle irony, and comfortable conviviality. Defined by its com...
Ash
Gervasoni EIDOS 143 Round Coffee Table - Glass top - Gabriele & Oscar Buratti
By Gervasoni, Oscar e Gabriele Buratti
Located in Varedo, MB
Eidos 143, designed by Gabriele & Oscar Buratti for Gervasoni, is a round coffee table that combines essential design with refined material contrasts, creating a compact and elegant ...
Cement
Extendable coffee table Naos BASALTO Design A. Casati
By Naos
Located in Varedo, MB
BASALTO - Extendable Coffee Table Design: A. Casati The Basalto coffee table is a versatile and sophisticated piece, combining innovative design with functional elegance. Its synchr...
Steel
Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi 'Trio' Corner Furniture by Karakter
By Aldo Bakker
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Corner Furniture designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be fill...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi 'Trio' Corner Furniture by Karakter
By Aldo Bakker
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Corner Furniture designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be fill...
Wood
Vintage Postmodern Model Servomuto Side Table by Achille Castiglioni, 1970s
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Hamburg, DE
A design classic from the Servi series by the Italian manufacturer Zanotta based on a design by Achille Castiglioni from the 70s. A postmodern design with an object character that a...
Metal
Zanotta Servomuto Side Table by Design Achille Castiglioni
By Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
of the range Servi by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, 1974 Small table. Base in polypropylene and steel rod painted, colour talc or black. Top in reversible black/white plas...
Steel
Zanotta Set of Two Servomuto Side Tables by Design Achille Castiglioni
By Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Second dimension: 50x86cm of the range Servi by Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, 1974 Small table. Base in polypropylene and steel rod painted, colour talc or black. Top in ...
Steel
Servomuto table by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Zanotta, 1974
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Zanotta
Located in Athens, Attiki
Servomuto table of the range Servi by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Zanotta, 1974. Servomuto, light and easy to move, is the worthy heir of the essential stylish and balan...
Metal, Steel
