Tuesday, August 25, 2009

A Lifetime of Design - Piero Lissoni

Piero Lissoni is one of the most revered of contemporary Italian furniture designers. His squat yet sleek designs are a hybrid of fifties and seventies chic and look as if the belong in a film by Frederico Fellini or even one by Kubrick. His inspirations include the designs of but also designers such as the Danish Arne Jacobsen and Poul Kjærholm. His sense of keen minimalism is derived from his affinity with the famous Milanese designers that came before him including heyday of heroes Marco Zanuso, Ettore Sottsass, Achille Castiglioni, and Vico Magistretti.

However as sophisticated as his designs are they are equally at home in your home as they are in a roof-top lounge in Rio de Janiero simply because they are simple, clean and timeless.

Lissoni started his career with a degree in Architecture from the prestigious Milan Politechnic. His first design gob was as Art Director and head Designer at Boffi Kitchens, which is a company that is known for its sleek, post modern fixtures.

After honing his skills in the business for a decade at Boffi Kitchens, Lissoni formed his first company Lissoni Associati in 1986 along with his partner Nicoletta Canessi. This company specialized in graphic design, interior design and architecture.

A decade later in 1996 the company revamped itself as Graph X added he design of furniture, accessories, lighting, bathrooms, kitchens, signage and packaging to his company's artistic services.

Lissoni is known for being a full package style of designer. This idea was pioneered when he formed Lissoni Associati. This means that everything, including the architecture, furniture and fixtures in a large-scale project would be branded with his unique signature style. He is known for his austere lines, demure fabrics and shades of grey that are occasionally surprised by an orange accent.

Lissoni's clients are among some of the biggest furniture and design companies in the world including Alessi, Boffi, Cappellini, Cassina, Flos, Fritz Hansen, Glas, Kartell, Lema, Living Divani, Matteograssi, Poltrona Frau, Porro, Tecno and Wella.

In the last decade he has also added the branding and design of luxury hotels and condominiums. He counts the gorgeous Monanco & Grand Canal in Venice, Italy, the Al Porot hotel by Zurich Lake
in Switzerland and the Mitsui Garden Ginza business Hotel in Tokyo among his designs. He also designed the beautiful Bentley Hotel in Istanbul.

Lissoni has also designed very sleek and high tech looking show rooms including all of the headquarters, showrooms and factories for his first employer - Boffi Kitchens. He also designs showrooms for Cassina, Glas, Tecno and Living Divani.

In the new century, Lissoni has found his business expanding to Moscow, Tel Aviv, Bangkok, and the Turks and Caicos. A New York Lissoni Studio is in the works in order to facilitate the building of a penthouse on Fifth Avenue, a house in Sagaponack, New York, and a possible hotel in Miami.

His most recent pet project is not on land at all. It is a 170 foot yacht appointed in his signature style. The vessel "Ghost" was achieved with the help of fellow designer Kitty Hawkes and Lucas Brenta Yacht designer.

As a designer Lissoni is considered to be an innovator and a living archivist of all that is most useful, aesthetic and glamorous about contemporary Italian design.

Rafael Montilla writes about architecture, modern furnishing, he is a SEO consultant for http://www.kmpfurniture.com

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