Joe Colombo

Short as it may have been, Italian designer Joe Colombo's life left a profound impact on mid-century design with his future-focused vision of intelligent technology and integrated living environments. From studying painting and sculpture to becoming a part of the avant-garde art scene and confronting the boundaries of painting with organic forms, Colombo's diverse career began in his hometown of Milan at the prestigious Brera Academy of Fine Art. Influenced by mounting international fear of nuclear war, he also joined the Movimento Nucleare (Nuclear Movement) of painters founded by Sergio Dangelo and Enrico Baj.

From 1951 to 1955, Colombo displayed his abstract works in Milan, Turin, Verviers, Venice, and Brussels. In 1954, he also curated a ceramics exhibit for the 10th Milan Triennale, where he created open-air "shrines" to showcase television transmissions. These contributions to the Triennale marked the start of Colombo's transition into design and architecture, which he studied at the Politecnico di Milano. His first architectural project, a condominium, was completed in 1956, and in 1959 he took over his family's business, which manufactured electric cables. It was there that he began experimenting with new construction and production techniques. In 1961, Colombo established his own interior design studio, specializing in architecture and furniture design.

Colombo, inspired by the Atomic Era, following the detonation of the first nuclear bomb, aimed to create forward-thinking and adaptable living environments, rather than just individual furniture pieces. He translated his artistic visions into practical designs that could reinvent the home for modern living. Although he was known for his futuristic aesthetic and use of plastics, he also experimented with other materials such as rattan, seen in his Basket Sofa and Lounge Chair collection now manufactured by Gubi and available through Dshop.

Sadly, Colombo passed away unexpectedly on his 41st birthday, leaving his full potential unrealized. His pieces are now preserved in permanent collections and featured in exhibits at prestigious institutions such as the Victoria & Albert Museum and Design Museum in London, as well as the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Thanks to Studio Joe Colombo, led by his former assistant, architect Ignazia Favata, Colombo's unique vision lives on.