Gae Aulenti

Gae Aulenti (1927 - 2012) was an Italian architect and designer who rose to prominence in the early 1950s. After initially studying visual arts, Aulenti saw an opportunity to help rebuild post-war Italy and enrolled in the architecture program at the Polytechnic University of Milan in 1948. From 1955 to 1965, Aulenti worked as a graphic designer for the avant-garde design magazine Casabella Continuita where she began experimenting with neo-liberty, an architectural theory that embraced modernism while incorporating elements of past styles. The neo-liberal influence can be seen in Aulenti's Pipistrello Lamp (1965) and Ruspa Lamp (1967). In addition to lighting design, Aulenti also oversaw interior design and architecture projects, including the renovations of the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and the Palazzo Grassi in Venice.