Milanese designer and architect Achille Castiglioni sought to inject personality into all of his work, and found deep inspiration in everyday objects. A legend of Italian mid-century modernism, he created iconic, universally loved table lamps, chairs and other lighting and furniture with his likeminded brothers during the postwar years.
There was the Snoopy lamp, which brings to mind the unmistakable Peanuts character, while the shape of a common street lamp inspired the design behind the Arco floor lamp. Elsewhere, the Toio floor lamp — a provocative fixture in any living room — was made with automotive parts as well as run-of-the-mill recreational gear.
Castiglioni studied the classics at Liceo Classico Giuseppe Parini, art at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera and finally architecture and design at the Polytechnic University of Milan. After graduating in 1944, Castiglioni began working with his brothers Pier Giacomo and Livio at the studio they cofounded with classmate Luigi Caccia Dominioni.
Livio left to pursue lighting design and sound technology, leaving Achille and Pier Giacomo to continue to collaborate on various projects. One such design was the iconic Taraxacum hanging lamp for FLOS which featured a resin “cocoon” created with sprayed plastic polymers that protects its steel core and allows for the diffusion of light.
Castiglioni won Italy’s highest award for industrial design — the Compasso d’Oro — seven times, and the Museum of Modern Art was home to his first individual retrospective in the United States. Castiglioni later taught at the Polytechnic University of Turin and at Polytechnic in Milan.
Castiglioni’s designs remain timeless. Some of them can be found in Tokyo’s Living Design Center Ozone, the Triennale di Milano and the Hangaram Art Museum at the Seoul Arts Center.
Find vintage Achille Castiglioni lighting, seating, tables and other furniture on 1stDibs.
Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi 'Comodo' Versatile Storage Unit
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Versatile storage unit designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could b...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi 'Comodo' Versatile Storage by Karakter
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Versatile storage unit designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be ...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi Set of Two 'Comodo' Wood Cabinets
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Versatile storage unit designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could b...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni 'Rampa' by Karakter
By Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Multifunctional station on wheels designed by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1965. Rampa, a multifunctional station on wheels from 1965, was inspired by the tr...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni 'Rampa' Multifunctional Station
By Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Achille Castiglioni
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Multifunctional station on wheels designed by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1965. Rampa, a multifunctional station on wheels from 1965, was inspired by the ...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni 'Rampa' Multifunctional Station
By Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Multifunctional station on wheels designed by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1965. Rampa, a multifunctional station on wheels from 1965, was inspired by the tr...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni 'Comodo' Versatile Storage by Karakter
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Berlin, DE
Versatile storage unit designed by Achille Castiglioni and Giancarlo Pozzi in 1988. Castiglioni and Pozzi’s elegant multi-purpose unit can be used as a bedside table, a tray, a coffe...
Wood
Rampa by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Karakter
By Achille & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Berlin, DE
The depth given applies to the cabinet/secretaire being closed. The desk top measures 80cm in depth. Rampa, a multifunctional station on wheels from 1965, was inspired by the traditional florist’s display...
Oak
Charlotte Perriand 513 Riflesso Storage Unit for Cassina, Italy, new
By Cassina, Charlotte Perriand
Located in Berlin, DE
Prices vary dependent on the material/finish. Available in anodized aluminum, black painted anodized aluminum and mahogany. The Riflesso storage unit, created in 1958 by Charlotte ...
Aluminum
Achille Castiglioni 'Lungangolo' Shelving Unit by Karakter
By Achille Castiglioni
Located in Berlin, DE
Castiglioni is said to ponder a lot on lost space. Empty inches and square meters that could be filled with beautiful design—but for some reason just never were. Due to this thinking...
Wood
Achille Castiglioni & Pier Giacomo Castiglioni 'Libreria Pensile' for Karakter
By Achille Castiglioni, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
Located in Berlin, DE
Shelf designed by Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1957. Available in black lacquered ash or matte lacquered oak.
Wood
Zanotta Joy Roating Shelf by Achille Castiglioni
By Zanotta
Located in New York, NY
Five or seven shelves. Rotating shelf bookcase. Uprights and shelves in medium density fiberboard with internal steel corner reinforcing, finished with scratch resistant embossing in...
Steel
