Achille Castiglioni
When empty design becomes functional
"I've always wanted to do the opposite. Not because I have an anarchic temperament, but because I think the fundamental basis of design lies precisely in rethinking the opposite."
The genius of Achille Castiglioni has contributed invaluablely to rethinking design. The Milanese architect's career, from his early projects with his brother Pier Giacomo to his internationally celebrated solo exhibitions, has pursued a precise mission: to strip design of the superfluous, allowing its essence to express itself through interaction with the public.
From filling to sensory experience, design according to Castiglioni
Achille Castiglioni's design objects, installations, and works follow a narrative thread that runs on a dual track.
On the one hand, a plastic attitude , based on innovation and research into forms, materials, and manufacturing techniques. Space acquires meaning also and above all in relation to its opposite : emptiness . A concept well represented, for example, by the furnishing accessories designed together with Giancarlo Pozzi .
Like the Trio coffee table . An elegant and essential construction, in which the three shelves adapt discreetly to the empty right-angled space. Or the Comodo, Achille Castiglioni's cabinet with a sliding storage compartment, essential and functional: it is said that in his studio the designer used this drawer to store sweets and candies, of which he was notoriously fond...
The functionality of emptiness and lightness are the qualities that have also made the Milanese architect's Wall Bookcase so famous. Its four-shelf structure is suspended and supported by metal cables. No wall attachments. No clutter. The void isn't filled, it's rationalized .
Reinventing everyday life
Castiglioni's second interpretative pattern is his communicative approach to design. Stimulated in their sensorial perception, the visitor is projected into a completely personal spatial dimension. Through his creations, Achille Castiglioni aims to " invent [...] a space in relation to the visitor's behavior ." He essentially reverses the role of the home's occupants, from passive users to protagonists of their spaces.
The goal of reinventing everyday objects with expressive and functional flair has accompanied the designer until his last project. In 2002, Castiglioni embarked on a study of writing with his colleague Gianfranco Cavaglià . Starting from a reflection on the concept of the grip, the two architects created a set of pencils and pens that are both refined and essential.
Tools of thought, means of expression, and interpreters of a manual creativity that is too often forgotten today. A project that has now found an innovative implementation in the CENTO.3 pen and pencil set created by the EGO.M design studio , consisting of a Multifunction Pencil , a Pocket Fountain Pen , and a Micromine . Created with 3D printing, these design objects are distinguished by a graphene body and an ergonomic trilobate grip that is seductive to the touch.
Come and discover our selection of design objects by Achille Castiglioni in the Mobilia online shop and in our Magazzini Generali store in Piazza Luccoli in Genoa .