Vintage Lierna Dining Chairs by the Castiglioni Brothers for Cassina, Set of 6

Brothers Livio (1911-1979), Pier Giacomo (1913-1968), and Achille (1918-2002) Castiglioni were born in Milan and worked side-by-side as industrial designers and architects.

In 1938, shortly after graduating from the Polytechnic University of Milan, Pier Giacomo, along with his brother Livio, founded a small architecture firm in Milan. They worked together with architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni to design interiors, furniture, and other objects, such as the Caccia Cutlery Set (1938) and the Fimi-Phonola 547 Radio (1939). Achille joined his two older brothers in their design practice after graduating in 1944 with a degree in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan. In the early years, the Castiglioni studio derived its main income from exhibition design, but they also restored buildings destroyed by the war, such as the Palazzo Della Permanente in 1952. Livio left to start his own practice in 1952; today, he is best known for his Boalum Lamp for Artemide (1970/71)—a light featuring internally lit, flexible plastic tubing—which he co-designed with Gianfranco Frattini (1926-2004).

Working in the midst of the Italian design Renaissance of the 1950s and ’60s, both Achille and Pier Giacomo were dedicated to creating visually appealing, yet technically innovative designs. They played a vital role in the foundation of the Compasso d’Oro prize, for decades recognized as one of the world’s most prestigious industrial design awards. Achille was also head of Facoltà di Architettura at the Politecnico, where he influenced a generation of Italian designers. Their legacy is still felt today, as they are among the most celebrated designers of the 20^th century—especially among diehard design lovers. Their prolific output included many collaborations with major Italian manufacturers, such as Flos for lighting, Zanotta for furniture, and Alessi for home goods. Other prestigious clients include B&B Italia, Bernini, Brionvega, Danese, Gavina, Kartell, Knoll, Moroso, Poggi, and Siemens.

Both Achille and Pier Giacomo were keenly interested in experimenting with new materials and techniques for industrial production. One notable example is “cocoon skin,” a material composed of sprayed polymer plastic fibers that solidified into a flexible membrane; the brothers initially saw a this substance used by the US military, and soon after acquired the patent. The Castiglioni brothers used this resin applied over a steel structure to create the iconic, cocoon-like forms of their Viscontea Lamp (1960), Taraxacum Chandeliers (1960), and Gato Table Lights (1960) for Flos.

Additionally, the brothers were eager to find inspiration in the everyday, and, as such, they often worked with found objects and components. Standout pieces in this vein include the Mezzadro Seat (1954-7) and Sella Seat (1957), both eventually put into production by Zanotta, and the Arco Floor Lamp (1962) and Toio Floor Lamp (1962), both produced by Flos.

Pier Giacomo unfortunately died early in 1968; Achille continued to work on his own until his own death in 2002. Today, many of the brothers’ designs are on display at museums and galleries around the world, including the Vitra Design Museum in Germany, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, and the MoMA in New York. In honor of their achievements and contributions, over the course of their careers, they collectively received nine Compasso d´Oro awards. Today, Castiglioni lighting is highlysought-after on the vintage market.  

Italian furniture manufacturing giant Cassina, originally named Amedeo Cassina, was founded by brothers Cesare (1909-1979) and Umberto (1910-1992) Cassina in Meda, Italy in 1927. Although initially specialized in bespoke woodworking and high-end interiors, by the 1950s the brothers took the company in a new direction, anticipating the growing demand for mass-produced home furnishings. Cassina is often credited with introducing industrial design to Italy and has built an international reputation for collaborating with some of the world’s most respected designers.

Notably, in 1964 (while famed architect Le Corbusier was still alive), Cassina signed the first exclusive licensing agreement covering the edition rights for designs by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand. The company soon after launched the I Maestri Collection which over the decades has gathered major icons of design under the Cassina brand, such as the LC4 Lounge (1928) jointly designed by Le Corbusier, Jeanneret, and Perriand, as well as Dutch architect Gerrit Rietveld’s 635 Red & Blue Armchair (1918), Scottish architect-designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Hill House Chair (1902), and many more.

With a focus more on partnering with the best designers rather than creating and maintaining a particular style, Cassina is responsible for some of the most recognized and beloved designs of the 20^th and 21^st centuries. Highlights include Italian architect-designer Gio Ponti’s Superleggera Chair (1957), German designer Konstantin Grcic’s Kanu Chair (2009), Iranian-British architect Zaha Hadid’s Zephyr Sofa (2013), and French designer Philippe Starck’s My World Sofa (2013).  Throughout its visionary collaborations with both design luminaries and cutting-edge experiments with new talents, Cassina has remained dedicated to the Italian design ideals of craftsmanship and quality, and the brand continues to excel in the fusion of industrial technology and artisanal production.

Cassina’s designs are included in permanent collections the world over, such as the Museum of Modern Art (New York), Vitra Design Museum (Weil am Rhein) and London Design Museum.

Cassina is now a part of the prestigious Poltrona Frau Group.

* All images courtesy of Cassina.