Gianfranco Frattini

Gianfranco Frattini was an Italian architect and designer who was born in Padua in 1926 and died in Milan in 2004, and is considered one of the originators of Italy’s design movement in the late 1950s. The attention to quality in creating products and consideration for the stories hidden behind the projects have made him a well-known designer who is appreciated the world over.

Having received his degree in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1953, Gianfranco Frattini was greatly influenced by the experience gained at Gio Ponti's studio who was his guide and mentor since his university days. His long and prolific career led him to work for companies such as Artemide, Lema, Acerbis, Knoll and several others by designing a number of iconic products on display today in the world’s most important design museums. In 1956 Gianfranco Frattini was one of the creators of the ADI (Association for Industrial Design) in which he held numerous positions.

Gianfranco Frattini conducted his professional activities mainly in industrial and interior design creating signature projects scattered all over the world. Wood was the material with which Frattini was most comfortable, owing to which he made several products that are symbolic of Italian cabinetmaking.