Massimo Iosa Ghini


Massimo Iosa Ghini is an Italian architect, designer, and professor, known for his contributions to the Bolidist Movement and his work with Memphis Group architects such as Ettore Sottsass and Michael Graves. His career spans decades and includes projects in Italy, the United States, and Russia. He owns a substantial collection of furniture, reflecting his futuristic design style. In 1990, he founded the architecture and design firm Iosa Ghini Associati in Milan.

Schooling

Massimo Iosa Ghini was born in Bologna, Italy, on 18 June 1959. Initially interested in illustration, he developed a passion for architecture and studied it at Milan Polytechnic. He graduated in the 1980s, and the fast-paced nature of the decade influenced much of his later work. After graduating, he worked on furniture and set design for the Italian RAI TV network.
In 1981, his unconventional designs drew the attention of the Memphis Group, a Milan-based collective of architects and designers whose furniture incorporated colors, shapes, and patterns that challenged traditional design conventions. Works from this period include "Bertrand" sideboard and the "Otello" armchair, one of which was sold at auction from the collection of the late David Bowie in 2016.
Iosa Ghini has held teaching positions at Sapienza University in Rome, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and Ferrara University.

Bolidism

Massimo Iosa Ghini is recognized as a pioneer of Bolidism, an artistic style that borrows elements from futurism and often focuses on human and machine interaction.

Architecture

In 1990, Iosa Ghini co-founded Iosa Ghini Associati with his wife, Milena Mussi. Since then, his firm has worked with international groups on large-scale residential, commercial, and public space projects, including the 2015 design for the Ferrari Factory Store in Milan.
In 2012, the Italian Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale featured Iosa Ghini's work on the "Seat Pagine Gialle" offices in Turin in their exhibition, "Architecture del Made in Italy."

Product design

Several of Iosa Ghini's works were featured in the Memphis Project. His furniture concepts belong to museum collections. Iosa Ghini has received several design awards, including the Good Design Award from the Chicago Athenaeum, the Roscoe Award, the IAI Green Design Award in China, the iF Product Design Award, and the Red Dot Award.

Work

The Iosa Ghini website features the following projects: