Andrea Branzi

Andrea Branzi (Florence, 30 November 1938 – Milan, 9 October 2023) was one of the most influential architects and designers on the contemporary Italian scene. He graduated in Architecture in Florence in 1966 and was one of the founders of the Archizoom Associati collective (1964), together with Paolo Deganello, Massimo Morozzi and Gilberto Corretti. The group, a pioneer of the Radical movement, is internationally known for iconic designs such as the Superonda sofa (1966), Safari (1967), and the Mies armchair (1969), which are now preserved in the Study and Communication Archive of the University of Parma and at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.

In 1973 he moved to Milan, where he lived and worked until his death. In 1982, he opened his own studio, devoting himself to architecture, urban planning and design. He took part in major projects such as the Gallery of Modern Art and the redevelopment plan for the San Francesco block in Arezzo, the Tokyo City project for Mitsubishi, and a research project for Vitra’s offices.

During his career, he collaborated with major Italian companies such as Alessi, Cassina, Zanotta, Artemide, Lapis, Pioniere, Unitalia, Up & Up, Interflex, and Rotaliana, for which he designed the Goccia lamp. He also designed the Newton lamp for Nemo, and created Guru for Qeeboo, a table lamp with three light diffusers and a curious anthropomorphic structure that reflects his poetic approach to design.

He was one of the founders of Domus Academy in Milan and served as a full professor at the Faculty of Design of the Politecnico di Milano until 2009. His experimental and multidisciplinary approach had a strong influence on generations of designers. Branzi also authored numerous books and essays exploring the relationship between society, design and innovation.

He was awarded the Compasso d’Oro for Lifetime Achievement in 1987, received an Honorary Degree in Industrial Design from La Sapienza University in Rome in 2008, and was honoured with the Rolf Schock Prize in 2018, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in Stockholm.