Biography of Gae Aulenti
The years with Casabella-Continuità
In 1955 he joined the editorial staff of Casabella-Continuità, directed by Ernesto Nathan Rogers, where he remained for ten years until 1965, while at the University he became Assistant before Giuseppe Samonà (from 1960 to 1962) who teaches architectural design at the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia, and then the same Ernesto Nathan Rogers who teaches architectural design at the Milan Polytechnic. During this period, becomes acquainted with Renzo Piano that has committed to conduct research on behalf of Rogers.The lamp Bat
In 1965 he designs and creates his famous "batwing" table lamp, designed as a site specific at the showroom of Olivetti which is implemented simultaneously in Paris. For the same Olivetti draws, sometime later, even the showroom of Buenos Aires, and thanks to this partnership with the leading company of typewriters, Gae Aulenti gets the notoriety that is rightfully ours and which will lead, shortly after, in the presence of Gianni Agnelli who entrusts the renovation of his apartment in Milan at the Brera district. After this work, the two become a great friendship meant to last forever and because of which the Aulenti will conceive several projects.The exhibition "Italian: The New Domestic Landscape"
In 1972 he took part in the exhibition "Italian: The new Domestic Landscape" designed and organized by Emilio Ambasz, which takes place at MoMA, and other designers and architects whose notoriety began kicking off as Marco Zanuso, Richard Sappe, Joe Colombo, Ettore Sottsass, Gaetano Pesce, Archizon Group, Superstudio, Strum and 9999. Herself likes to say: "my architecture is closely related to and interconnection with the existing urban environment, which is becoming almost its shape-generating, trying, with this, to transfer in its architectural space the variety and intensity of the elements that define the urban universe".Lotus International Steering Committee
From 1974 to 1979 she took part in the Steering Committee of the magazine Lotus International, while from 1976 to 1978, in Prato, works with Luca Ronconi at the Theatre design lab. In 1979, after the experience with the magazine Lotus International, was entrusted with the artistic direction of Fontana Arte, with whom he had already had partnerships in the past. In this same period produces other lamps and ornaments that even today you can find in the catalogues dedicated to interior fittings.The collaborations of Gae Aulenti
During these years of intense activity manages to establish working relationships with various professionals, including the likes of Piero Castiglioni, Pierluigi Cerri, Daniela Puppa and Franco Raggi. Maintains a long love affair with Carlo Ripa di Mena, which then decides to move away because of what she herself calls "Craxismo deleterious". In 1984, she was appointed corresponding member of the Accademia di San Luca in Rome, from 1995 to 1996 is President of the Academy of fine arts of Brera and in 2005 is the Gae Aulenti associated architects. In 2002 a member of the cultural association "freedom and Justice" alongside other great characters such as Umberto Eco, Enzo Biagi, Guido Rossi and Umberto Veronesi.The last days and death
On October 16, 2012, a few days before his death, was awarded the lifetime achievement award, which is given by three years. Gae Aulenti died in Milan on October 31, 2012 at the age of 83 years. In a statement to his passing, President Giorgio Napolitano expresses its condolence calling it: "the protagonist of the first floor of the history of contemporary architecture, highly appreciated worldwide for its creative talent and, in particular, for its extraordinary ability to recover cultural values of historical heritage and urban environment". On 7 December of that year was inaugurated and named after his name the circular square located in the center of the complex of Unicredit Tower of Milan, in the ultramodern Garibaldi area. Among his most important works during his career include the restructuring of the Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome, Palazzo Grassi in Venice (purchased by Fiat), has redesigned Piazza Cadorna in Milan, invented cult objects such as rocking Sgarsul.Article contributed by the team of collaborators.