Ignazio GARDELLA

Ignazio Gardella was born on March 30, 1905, in Milan. He graduated in Engineering in 1930 and began his profession at his father Arnaldo's engineering studio in Milan. From the beginning of his long and prolific career, he embraced the principles of rationalism. Among his major works in the 1930s are the expansion of Villa Borletti in Milan (1936) and the anti-tuberculosis clinic in Alessandria (1938). In 1949, he obtained a degree in Architecture from IUAV in Venice, where he pursued an academic career from 1950 until 1975. After World War II, he actively participated in architectural debates: as a member of the MSA (Movement for Architectural Studies), he participated in the first congress of the INU (National Institute of Urban Planning) in 1947. Between 1952 and 1956, he co-directed, alongside Alberto Samonà, Franco Albini, and Ernesto N. Rogers, the summer school of the CIAM (International Congresses of Modern Architecture) in Venice. He was also part of the Italian delegation at the last CIAM congress in Otterlo (1959). Among his post-war achievements are the Borsalino staff housing in Alessandria (1952), the Contemporary Art Gallery in Milan (1953), the residential house at Zattere in Venice, and the Olivetti canteen in Ivrea (both designed in 1958, with Roberto Guiducci). He also designed the Alfa Romeo offices in Arese (1972), the Monument to the Fallen of the Partisan Struggle and the Loggia Square in Brescia (1984, 1988), and the new Carlo Felice Theater in Genoa (with Aldo Rossi and Fabio Reinhardt, 1990).

Parallel to his architectural works, Ignazio Gardella played a decisive role in the field of design by conceiving iconic furniture pieces, contributing to the promotion of Italian design on the international stage. His work intersected various movements and styles, demonstrating a versatility and aesthetic sensitivity that made his contribution a distinctive element in the history of architecture and design in Italy. In 1946, Gardella, along with Luigi Caccia Dominioni, co-founded Azucena, the first company to inaugurate the Italian production of high-quality design.

Ignazio Gardella passed away in Oleggio on March 15, 1999. /