Design Icon: Franco Albini

Franco Albini was a major figure in the Rationalist Movement, an accomplished designer whose work ranged from construction to design, from artistic installations to town planning. Working on the edge between rigor and poetic imagination, Albini is an iconic interpreter of the Rationalist current, a social and architectural movement aimed at improving people’s quality of life through design.

After receiving a degree in architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1929, he worked with the Gio Ponti and Lancia design studios. His contributions to the magazine Casabella also played a pivotal role in his development, marking his embrace of the Rationalist Movement and establishing him as its spokesman on the Italian cultural scene. When he set up his own practice in Milan in 1931, he took on the challenge of workers’ housing and continued this endeavor after the war, leveraging opportunities presented by the reconstruction projects he undertook with Franca Helg in 1952.

During the 1940s, Albini expanded his collaboration with Cassina, initially focusing on chair designs that paved the way for his signature style. In Milan and Genoa, the iconic designer left his most enduring mark. In the Lombard capital, he planned the development of stations on Line 1 of the city’s subway system, collaborating with graphic designer Bob Noorda. His numerous urban development and building projects for Genoa include the Palazzo Bianco, Palazzo Rosso, and Tesoro di San Lorenzo museums. Franco Albini received numerous honors in recognition of the importance of his cultural and social contributions during his career, including three Compasso d'Oro Awards, one of the most prestigious awards in the design field.

In all his work, from home furnishings to industrial and museum design projects, Franco Albini consistently infused a logical continuity and extreme purity of expression driven by a strong ethical and social sense. His work stands as a cornerstone of Italian architectural culture from the early 20th century through his prolific creative activity.

Franco Albini viewed his profession as a social mission. He believed that people could change the world if their work was based on three factors: awareness of talent and personal mission, the ability to discern the needs of society, and the desire to collaborate and make a positive impact on the future.

To foster deeper exploration of these three aspects, the Fondazione Albini has initiated the creation of "Casa Albini," an incubator of activities, meetings, ideas, and talents located in the spectacular setting of Gallura, Sardinia. Casa Albini aims to serve as a space where people and designers can convene and exchange ideas, fostering innovation grounded in self-awareness. The house serves as a collection of Franco Albini's iconic pieces and as an embodiment not only of his aesthetics but also his artistic and architectural ethics.