Eugenio Gerli

Eugenio Gerli (1923–2013) was an Italian architect and designer, today best remembered for his long-standing collaboration with Tecno, the company founded by Osvaldo Borsani. A member of Milan’s enlightened bourgeoisie—his maternal grandfather Enrico Chiesa was among the founders of the Italian Republican Party and served several times as a member of parliament—Gerli studied architecture in the postwar period at the Politecnico di Milano under Piero Portaluppi and Gio Ponti. Gerli’s architectural vision was based on a strong integration between space and furnishings, which he often designed in their entirety. This philosophy was already evident in his first major project, the Villa Adele cardiology clinic in Laveno-Mombello, for which he also designed adjustable beds and reclining armchairs tailored to the specific needs of patients. Among his later architectural works, the 1970s saw the design of the clubhouse for the La Pinetina Golf Club in Appiano Gentile, along with several nearby private villas. Between the 1980s and 1990s, he also maintained a long collaboration with the brand Etro, designing a number of its boutiques. The partnership that most defined his career, however, was with Tecno, which began in 1957 and lasted for more than 35 years. For the company he designed dozens of products, many of which are now highly sought after on the modern design collectibles market, among them perhaps the most celebrated being the 142 seating series of 1966.