Joe Colombo was one of the most important designers in history. Colombo’s innovative productions included ‘micro-living-worlds’ and multi-functional objects.
Image source: https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/e77b7630-8515-41b6-8d4d-6d114e7ca78d
About his life
Joe Colombo, born Cesare Colombo (30 July 1930 – 30 July 1971) was an Italian industrial designer. He was educated at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera as a painter and studied until 1954 Architecture at Politecnico di Milano University. From 1951 to 1955, Joe Colombo worked independently as a painter and sculptor. He joined the ‘nuclear painting‘ movement and later became a founding member of the ‘art concrete‘ group.
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Cesare_Colombo#/media/File:Joe_Colombo_.jpg
What are the main features of Colombo’s style?
In 1958 Colombo abandoned painting, but used the factory as a playground by experimenting with the latest production processes and newly developed plastics such as fibreglass, ABS, PVC and polyethylene. Concentrating on industrial design from 1962-1971 he believed that good domestic design had to be available to everyone. Colombo designed also products for Oluce, Kartell, Bieffe, Alessi, Flexform and Boffi. He died in 1971 on his 41st birthday.
Image source: https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/8d8e4dad-0675-4f37-8e6a-42999f30a33d by Andrea Pavanello, Milano
In Colombo’s vision, people needed efficient living equipment that they could take with them in a society that was increasingly mobile, both physically and socially.
image source: https://blog.excellence-group.com/wp-content/uploads/cabriolet.jpg
Most famous
- The Elda Chair for Longhi, 1963
- Miniaturised kitchen for Boffi, 1963
- Universale Chair for Kartell, 1965
- Additional Living System for Sormani ,1967
- The Tube Chair for Flexform, 1969
- The Topo Lamp for Oluce, 1970
- Boby trolley for B-line, 1970
- The Brillio Chair for Zanotta, 1971
images source: http://blog.excellence-group.com/the-essentials-xiii-joe-cesare-colombo/
image source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joe_cesare_colombo_per_bieffeplast_spa.,_trolley_boby,_1970_ca.jpg
info source:
http://www.designophy.com/designpedia/design-designer-1000000077-joe-colombo.htm
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-brief-wondrous-career-of-j-114066
