Gae Aulenti

Gae Aulenti was born in 1927 in Palazzolo dello Stella in the province of Udine, Italy. She graduated in 1953 at the Politecnico di Milano and since then she has worked in the fields of architectural design, urban planning, interior and industrial design, theatrical scenography. Already in his early years his projects express the desire to link together the many aspects of the architectural discipline. Numerous industrial design products were created to complete architectural projects.  Among the most famous are the "Pipistrello" and "King Sun" lamps for the Olivetti Showrooms in Paris and Buenos Aires (1966-67) and, with Piero Castiglioni, the "Bugia" lamp for the Musée d'Orsay (Paris, 1986) and the "Cestello" lamp for Palazzo Grassi (Venice, 1986). Among his most famous works were the realization in Paris of the Museé d'Orsay (1986) and the setting up of the Musée National d'Art Moderne at the Centre Pompidou (1985); the renovation of Palazzo Grassi in Venice (1986); the new access to the S. Maria Novella station in Florence (1990); the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco (2003), the Catalan Art Museum in Barcelona (2004), the Italian Cultural Institute in Tokyo and the Palavela in Turin, both inaugurated in 2005.  In 2012 the works of Palazzo Branciforte in Palermo and the new San Francesco d'Assisi Airport in Perugia were completed. Among the most important recognitions and awards: Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (Paris, 1987); Honourary Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (1990); Praemium Imperiale per l'Architettura dal The Japan Art Association (Tokyo, 1991); Cavaliere di Gran Croce (Rome, 1995); honorary degree from the Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, USA, 2001); Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement (Milan, 2012).