Ico Parisi

Ico Parisi (1916-1996) was an important Italian architect and designer. Born in Palermo but moved to Como at an early age, he took his first steps in the studio of Giuseppe Terragni, a leading name in Italian Rationalism. A great lover of photography, he also took care of the first shots of his master's most famous project: the famous Casa del Fascio in Como. After the Second World War he founded the studio "La Ruota" with his wife Lusia Ariani, dealing with the design of homes and interiors, but also with the promotion of works of art by artist friends such as Bruno Munarie Fausto Melotti. In the 1950s, an intense collaboration with Cassina began, leading to the production of refined furnishings, emblematic of the style of the decade. In 1954 his "Pavilion of the Living Room" was awarded the Gold Medal at the 10th Milan Triennale, while in the following years he further deepened the relationship between interior design and art, which was always very dear to him, and carried out the his personal critique of consumerism and building speculation. Far from academic circles and for this reason often neglected by critics, he had in Gio Ponti an exceptional "fan", who constantly supported and encouraged him throughout his long career.