Wall Unit in Teak by Franco Albini for Poggi, 1950s

Born near Milan in 1905, Franco Albini was an Italian architect, urban planner, and furniture designer active between the 1930s and the 1960s. He studied architecture at Milan’s famous Politecnico, apprenticed under master architect-designer Gio Ponti, and played a key role in formulating the Rationalist movement in Italy prior to World War II.

Throughout the post-war era, Albini continued to create furniture and architecture aimed at purity of expression through modularity and affordable materials. While his work tends toward formal reduction, it also maintains a warmth and charm that stems from his enduring respect for context and tradition.

Albini worked with various mid-century manufacturers during his lifetime, including Cassina, Arflex, Poggi, Arteluce, Brionvega, and Knoll, and many of his designs are still in production. He received multiple awards for his work, including three prestigious Compasso d’Oro Awards.