Gio Ponti, born in Milan in 1891, began his career in architecture and design, after service in WWI, at an Italian ceramics company. Experience in ceramics influenced Ponti's later because he was trained to have an appreciation for not just the structure, but also the interior and artistic elements of a building. Not only an architect, Ponti spent much of his time designing and constructing household appliances, lighting, and furniture to compliment his edificies, such as the Denver Art Museum. To add on to his applied career, Ponti also worked as a guest lecturer at design colleges around the world and published works on his theories and opinions of design. Ponti died in 1979, but left behind a legacy as an architect, designer, professor and inventor, making him one of the most important men in the history of design.