Riccardo Blumer

Riccardo Blumer (1959–) is a Swiss architect and designer of Italian origin. Much of his reputation is tied to the design of the award-winning Laleggera chair (1992), produced by Alias, which received the Compasso d’Oro in 1998 and is part of the permanent collections of many major design museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Born in Bergamo, he studied architecture at the Politecnico di Milano and subsequently worked for several years (1983–1988) in Lugano at the studio of Mario Botta. His practice spans both residential architecture and public projects, among which the renovation of the interiors of Teatro alla Scala in Milan (2003–2005) stands out. From 2005 onward, he began collaborating in product design with Matteo Borghi (1976–); together they have worked with several leading brands, including Desalto, Poliform, Artemide, and Flou. Highly active in the academic field as well, Blumer served as director of the renowned Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio from 2016 to 2021. Another significant aspect of his practice is Blumerandfriends, an experimental collective he founded in 2011, which has been the focus of exhibitions, conferences, and installations worldwide.