Gae Aulenti

Gae Aulenti was an important post-war Italian designer and architect whose fluid approach to styles and materials lent her unique signature to some of the most important architectural and interior designs of the late 20th century. She attended the Politecnico di Milano in the mid-1950s. Shortly after graduating, she established her design practice in the same city. She also became known as the artistic director of Casabella, the leading avant-garde architectural magazine of the time. It was during these early years that her unique design philosophy was born, focusing on the designer's maximum freedom from the confinement of the practice to a single style.

Aulenti believed that a space and its inhabitants should know and perceive the design around them. This resulted in works that could be classified in all design spheres. From smaller furniture designs to larger architectural projects. Aulenti defined her style as one that was not tied to a particular aesthetic or method. This originality led to her rapid creative recognition and success, which was reflected in the many international exhibitions that showcased her work in the 1960s and 1970s.