Massimo and Lella Vignelli By Farahlynn Pazienza

Massimo Quick View

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Education 1948-1950 Milan Academia di Belle Arti di Brera 1950-1953 Milan Politecnico di Milano 1953-1977 Venice The school of Architecture, University page of Venice 3 • Married to Lella Vignelli • Started Unimark Corporation • Favors the typeface Helvetica • Massimo and Lella started Vignelli Associates • Designed Knoll Graphics 1 • Author of “The Vignelli Cannon” and “Vignelli: From A to Z”

Massimo was known to say, “If “If you can design one A Biography: you can design one thing, you thing, you can design can design everything”. everything.” , a native of Milan, Italy was (Pimentel) He lived this quote. ~Massimo Vignelli born on January 10, 1931. (Massimo) Vignelli You can see him living this quote had a passion for architecture and pursued it through his life’s work. From as a career. (Ibid) Growing up in Italy was a graphic design and corporate great inspiration to him. He used Milan as his identity to furniture and glass and muse. He studied architecture in Milan at the publication and architectural Academia de Belle Arti di Brera (1948-50), the designs. (The Grove) Massimo Politecnico in Milan (1950-53) and The School has an extensive resume and of Architecture at the University of Venice. even in his 80’s he still designs. (1953-57). (The Grove) more on 2

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Massimo Vignelli

The life of a designer is a life of fight against the ugliness. ~ Massimo Vignelli

FYI:

This entire article is

Written in Helvetica.

was everyday household and office Starting up: 1957, he met a fell in love with Elena items furniture and interior design. Valle at an architects’ convention (Ibid) (Lella) and married her. (The Grove; While still in school in the 1950’s he Massimo and Lella) When Massimo and Lella came designed, what we now know as the back from the USA, he and Lella “Fungo” table lamp, displayed at the Lella studied at the School of started the Office of Design and Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York. Architecture, Massachusetts Institute Architecture in Milan. They designed (The Grove) of Technology in Cambridge for Pirelli, Rank and Olivetti. Massachusetts (1955-1958), she also In 1957 to 1960, Massimo came to (Massimo and Lella) (1960-64) worked as a junior designer for one United States, on a fellowship from (Massimo) Together they, designed year in 1959, for Skidmore, Owings, & Towie Silversmiths in Massachusetts. office accessories, furniture and Merrill. (The Grove) She graduated And the Institute of Design in Illinois. graphics. (The Grove) They missed from the University of Venice, majoring (Massimo) During his time in the US, in the United States and its possibilities. in Architecture. (Ibid) Lella’s specialty

Massimo Vignelli, in 1965 returned to Massimo developed a design system the states with Lella and co-founded for furniture for Knoll Graphics that the Unimark International Corporation, would later be a template for furniture with Ralph Eckerstorm and James K. years later. (Massimo) Massimo’s Fugleman in . (Massimo) The main priority was to give the Unimark Corporation specialized in customer what they wanted, corporate graphics, especially Knoll functionality and diversity within their Graphics. (The Grove) design. (Ibid)

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Massimo Vignelli 3

+ A Collaboration: A marriage made from love & design

In 1971, Lella and Massimo established the cubes, spheres, cylinders and cones and Offices of Vignelli Associates, for two- would try to create balance, design and dimensional design, and Vignelli Designs, functionality. (The Grove) They believed a for furniture, objects, interiors and designer should be able to create anything exhibition, in 1978. (Massimo and Lella) from “a spoon to a city”. (Ibid) Their work can be seen in many European The designs you expect to see from this and American companies. His wide use of power couple are nothing less than the typeface Helvetica was spread like dynamic. When the Vignelli's, displayed wildfire in the USA. (The Grove) their work at an exhibition at Parsons in This amazing creative couple designed 1980, Paul Goldberger, a critic of the The furniture together, graphics and corporate New York Times, stated they are “total identity, exhibitions, consumer product designers”, based on their work. (Massimo design. (Massimo) They would work with (continued)

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Massimo Vignelli 4 added to the New York Art Directors Club Hall of Fame in 1982 while his wife Lella

received and Honorary Doctorates from the Parsons School of Design, in New York; a year before Massimo and Lella received the AIGA Gold Medal. (Ibid) In 1985, he LELLA received the first Presidential Design Award for the National Park Service publications Program presented by President Ronald VIGNELLI Reagan. (Ibid) He has received the Brooklyn Museum Design Award for Lifetime She was born in Udine, Italy Achievement, as well as the Honorary Royal sometime in 1934. (Lella) Elena Designer for Industry Award from the Royal also had received fellowships Society of Arts in London. (Massimo) special student at the School of Massimo Vignelli has many more other Architecture, Massachusetts prestigious awards he has earned as well as Institute of Technology. (Lella) In Honorary Doctorates in Fine Arts from 1966, she became the head of the Parsons School of Design in New York, interiors department for Unimark Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New International Corporation in Milan and in . (Ibid) She York, the Corcoran School of Art in was the first Executive Vice Washington D.C. The Art Center College of President for Vignelli Associates Design in Pasadena, California, Rochester and is now the CEO and the Institute of Technology in Rochester, New President of Vignelli Designs. (Ibid) York and in my hometown RISD (Rhode Island School of Design, in Providence, RI. (Massimo) It is amazing to see what he has accomplished creating the world renowned American Airlines, Ford Motor Companies, and upscale department stores such as Barney’s Bloomingdales and Sax Fifth Avenue logo. (Massimo) They designed the New York City Subway Diagram in 1972 and has since updated it to look like the 2008 subway system. (Ibid)

Lella has also many awards in the design (continued) field, from the Corcoran School of Art,

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Massimo Vignelli 5 Washington, D.C. in 1994 (Massimo). 6 Together their work has been featured in various publications an has been featured n two feature-length television show. (Massimo)

Heller Designs Inc. was stackable dinnerware designed with melted melamine in a wide range of bright and brilliant colors. (The Collection) As far as the Knoll Company, he designed the infamous “handkerchief chair” stable chair with reinforced plastic and metal legs, this award-winning furniture was exhibited internationally and at the Parsons School of Design. (Ibid)

The Vignelli’s have been a dynamic duo and have paved the way and have become influential for new designers, Together their work has been seen all over the world, in places such as: St. Petersburg, Moscow, Helsinki, London, Budapest, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Munich, Prague and , their art toured around Europe between 1989 to 1993.(Massimo)

Researching and writing this paper has been enlightening. I randomly picked an Italian Designer from the list. When I first looked up this designer, all I noticed was his glass blowing designs. I was happy to realize I have admired their work and have been an inspired by their designs without realizing who designed, what I once encountered.

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Massimo Vignelli

D E S I G N x2

I started out only anticipating, to learn about one artist, Massimo Vignelli, however I had the privilege of learning about Lella Vignelli, his wife, as well. Two extremely passionate people they believed in their work and didn’t limit themselves. They literally took on the world together and conquered it in their designs.

+ Farahlynn Pazienza

Digital Imaging Photoshop

Week 7

G.Dufner