Gio Ponti

Giovanni Ponti, known as Gio (Milan, 18 November 1891 – Milan, 16 September 1979), was an Italian architect, designer, essayist and academic who led a unique career, actively participating in the post-war Italian design revival.

Gio Ponti graduated in architecture from the then Royal Technical Institute (the future Polytechnic University of Milan) in 1921, after interrupting his studies during his participation in the First World War. That same year, he married the noble Giulia Vimercati, from an ancient Brianza family, with whom he had four children (Lisa, Giovanna, Letizia, and Giulio).

Initially, in 1921, he opened a studio together with architects Mino Fiocchi and Emilio Lancia (1926-1933), later moving on to collaborate with engineers Antonio Fornaroli and Eugenio Soncini (1933-1945). In 1923, he participated in the First Biennial of Decorative Arts held at the ISIA in Monza and was subsequently involved in organizing various Triennials, both in Monza and Milan.
In the 1925s, he began his career as a designer at the Richard Ginori ceramics company, completely reworking the company's industrial design strategy. His ceramics won the Grand Prix at the 1928 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris. During those years, his production was more influenced by classical themes, showing himself closer to the Novecento movement, an exponent of rationalism. During those same years, he also began his publishing career: in 1941, he founded the magazine Domus, which he edited until his death, except for the period 1948–XNUMX, when he was editor of Stile. Along with Casabella, Domus would represent the center of cultural debate in Italian architecture and design in the second half of the twentieth century.….Wikipedia….>>