Italian Designer and architect Andrea Branzi passed away on October 9, 2023. Born in Florence in 1938, Branzi co-founded the world-renowned architecture studio Archizoon Associati. The studio also consisted of Gilberto Corretti, Paolo Deganello, and Massimo Morozzi, and then were joined by Dario and Lucia Bartolini. Andrea Branzi also played a significant role in establishing the iconic Domus Academy and served as a professor and chairman at the Politecnico di Milano’s School of Interior Design.
Branzi left a mark on the world of contemporary design. In fact, his most iconic project was the Superonda Sofa. The design symbolized Branzi’s commitment to reimagining ergonomic relationships with objects. Moreover, his groundbreaking No-Stop-City project in 1969 challenged traditional understandings of urban design, where he envisioned the city as an ever-expanding grid.
Branzi’s creative journey was a dynamic one, where a lot of mediums and materials were explored. Referred to as a design philosopher, Branzi enjoyed fusing industrial design with natural elements. His most recent exhibition, “Architecture Belongs to the Theater,” is currently taking place at Antonia Jannone's Milan gallery. The display showcases a series of drawings dissecting cultural and architectural typologies.
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From Brunelleschi to Today, This Documentary Tracks the Evolution of Architecture in TuscanyHe is a giant of radical thought on human spaces, a sophisticated historian of Italian design, a visionary artist capable of ironically inhabiting other universes and parallel worlds. – Stefano Boeri, director of Triennale.
Additionally, the architect has just recently presented his third solo show exhibition at Friedman Benda, New York. The architect’s exploration and creative expression produced three central bodies of work for the show: Roots, Germinal Seat, and Buildings. Often exploring the anthology of our existence, this showcase investigated dynamic entities with psychological, symbolic, and poetic connections.
Italian institutions have been pioneers in the design and architecture industry for centuries, setting global trends. This year, the infamous XIV Florence Biennale of Art and Design announced that Santiago Calatrava will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. Additionally, the Architecture studio ELASTICOFarm, led by Stefano Pujatti, has been awarded the Premio Italiano di Architettura (Italian Architecture Prize), promoted by the Triennale di Milano and MAXXI. Finally, the 18th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia took place this year in Venice. The long-awaited event was curated by Lesley Lokko and focused on understanding Africa as a “Laboratory of the Future.”
