Mario Bellini (b. 1935)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Mario Bellini was born in Milan in 1935 and graduated with a degree in architecture from the Milan Polytechnic in 1959. In charge of design at La Rinascente (1961-63), he set up a studio of architecture and design in 1963 which is now called Mario Bellini Associates. He has worked for various companies, especially in the field of electronics, and has been in charge of Olivetti design since 1963. He received the first of eight Compasso d'Oro awards in 1962 for his first furniture design, a table. Like many other Italian architects, his activities range from architecture and urban planning to product and furniture design. In designing furniture for Cassina, B&B Italia, Vitra, and other firms, he has thoroughly exploited new technologies, but he remarked, "I don't think that contemporary high technology necessarily means that we should have to sit on a piece of a mechanism." On the other hand he says, "we cannot go on making padded upholstery using nails and wooden frames. It would deny the present." 

Since the 1980s he has devoted himself chiefly to architecture (Tokyo Design Center, 1988-92; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1996-2003). He is very active in the field of exhibition design at an international level, and has taught at the universities of Venice, Vienna, and Genoa.

Drawn from
  • "Mario Bellini," in Moma Members Quarterly 14 (Summer 1987), DMA Mayer Libray artist file.
  • Giampiero Bosoni, ed. il Modo Italiano. Milan: Skira Editore S.p.A., 2006.

NOTES 

ASSOCIATED CONTENT CHUNKS (list applicable note links)

AUDIO ASSETS 

VIDEO ASSETS  

IMAGE ASSETS 


WEB RESOURCES 
Mario Bellini Associati~Explore the architect/designer's website

ARCHIVAL RESOURCES (digitized/non-digitized)

FUN FACTS 

TEACHING IDEAS 

RULES
set operator as OR
apply to objects where constituent_id equals 1542
apply to constituents where id equals 1542

rules_operator
OR
General Description
Mario Bellini was born in Milan in 1935 and graduated with a degree in architecture from the Milan Polytechnic in 1959. In charge of design at La Rinascente (1961-63), he set up a studio of architecture and design in 1963 which is now called Mario Bellini Associates. He has worked for various companies, especially in the field of electronics, and has been in charge of Olivetti design since 1963. He received the first of eight Compasso d'Oro awards in 1962 for his first furniture design, a table. Like many other Italian architects, his activities range from architecture and urban planning to product and furniture design. In designing furniture for Cassina, B&B Italia, Vitra, and other firms, he has thoroughly exploited new technologies, but he remarked, "I don't think that contemporary high technology necessarily means that we should have to sit on a piece of a mechanism." On the other hand he says, "we cannot go on making padded upholstery using nails and wooden frames. It would deny the present." 

Since the 1980s he has devoted himself chiefly to architecture (Tokyo Design Center, 1988-92; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1996-2003). He is very active in the field of exhibition design at an international level, and has taught at the universities of Venice, Vienna, and Genoa.

Drawn from
  • "Mario Bellini," in Moma Members Quarterly 14 (Summer 1987), DMA Mayer Libray artist file.
  • Giampiero Bosoni, ed. il Modo Italiano. Milan: Skira Editore S.p.A., 2006.

Fun Facts
 
Archival Resources
(digitized/non-digitized)
Web Resources
 
Mario Bellini Associati~Explore the architect/designer's website

Notes
 
rules
Apply To
Constituents
id
Equals
1542
tags
#draft
#completed
%copyedited_Gail
@Bowling
*Decorative Arts and Design
furniture: AAT: 300037680
industrial design: AAT: 300054183
Italy (nation): TGN: 1000080
%UMO pending
design (discipline): AAT: 300054171
furniture designers: AAT: 300386292
Bellini_Mario: ULAN: 500014815
Mario Bellini Associati: ULAN: 500235886
269856659: UMO
source file
artists_and_designers-0247.xml.nores