PONTI Gio

Giovanni Ponti, also known as Gio (1891-1979) is an Italian architect and designer. He graduated in architecture from the Polytechnic School of Milan in 1921. Between 1923 and 1938, he collaborated with the porcelain maker Richard Ginori. He proposed a new style inspired by traditions, rewarded by the prize for ceramics that he received at the International Exhibition of Decoratives Arts in 1925. From 1927 to 1933, he joined the architects Mino Fiocchi and Emilio Lancia and began his career by creating innovative and avant-gardist architectures. Gio Ponti also worked with the glassmakers Venini and Luigi Fontana, with whom he created Fontana Arte in 1932. Technical possibilities of glass are studied there to produce contemporary lighting. With Pietro Chiesa, the production of Fontana Arte was declined in all house’s elements. In 1928, Gio Ponti founded the architecture and design magazine Domus, which target as to bring light on Italian designers. In that same dynamic, he created the Milan Triennale in 1933. He also contributed to the creation of the Compasso d'Oro prize in 1954. During his career, the designer collaborated with famous manufacturers such as Cassina, Gubi and Molteni&C. He designed furnitures and decoratives arts objects that will become design icons. In parallel with his researches and creation activities, he taught at the Polytechnic School of Milan from 1936 to 1961 and trained several generations of designers. Gio Ponti died in 1979. He left his mark on the whole design world and is still considered as a master of Italian architecture and as one of the most important designers of the 20th century.