Franco Albini

Franco Albini (1905-1977) was one of the great masters of Italian Rationalism, both in the field of design and architecture. Since the 1930s he distinguished himself as one of the leading elements of the group of young architects who, gathered around the Casabella magazine, advocated the peculiar Italian interpretation of the Modern Movement and the Bauhaus that were forever changing European and world architecture, and which took the name of Rationalism in Italy. Putting functional values ​​at the center, his creations did not try to hide the constructive elements, but rather emphasized them and put them in the foreground. After the war he began to collaborate with Franca Helg and intensified his theoretical and teaching activity, centered on the search for a synthesis between artisan tradition and industrial practice. As a designer he has worked with various realities such as Cassina, Arflex, Poggi and Bonacina; his creations are also re-edited by brands such as Knoll and Nemo. Among the major legacies of his work as an architect are the planning of Line 1 of the Milan Metro, in collaboration with Bob Noorda for the graphics, and the Rinascente building in Rome. Most of his post-war projects were co-signed with Franca Helg (1920-1989), who will carry on the activity of Studio Albini even after the death of its founder.