Addendum - Newsletter chairs.ws n.8 September 2009

The design for Massimo Iosa Ghini
by Massimo Iosa Ghini


One of the guidelines running through all of Iosa Ghini's work is to be sought in his constant search for innovation, yet never disowning architecture or industrial design, of which he is great expert. The best results are achieved when the designer succeeds in delving into the heart of tradition to make it evolve into contemporary forms and concepts. This is an operation that has to do with memory, with the images that all of us have, the "ideas", the archetypes of objects that get confused and are transformed into the things we know in life. These are the images to which we refer when we want something, and their idiom is the one of sentiment: they speak the language of emotion. Set alongside tradition, viewed as a store of experience, is a contemporary aspect in which the focus on nature merges with the search for well-being - these are today's key words – and in design, it is the world of living and ecologically sustainable shapes that has piqued interest.

Massimo Iosa Ghini: <<To become designers you must manage to solve more problems than others do in a shorter amount of time. It is the cost/ performance ratio that determines achievement of the objective, but the right methaphor continues to be the one of the sailor who catches the wind where it lies. As far as I am concerned, I feel that the most important aspect in designing a product is the ability to predict the form of the next simulacrum. Form is the realization of the concept, and the designer's concept must be the same as the audience's, plus a little percentage of presumptuous didactics. To do this, you must be skilled at staying abreast of nuances, even slight changes, you must travel a lot, but at the same time, you must keep up with technology. Projecting yourself forward or back takes the fun out of the present.>>

Ferrari Factory Store Serravalle Scrivia

Ferrari Store Milan

Exedra Nice Hotel, Boscolo Group

Scudi radiator, Antrax

Spore lamp, FDV Group

Beanbag armchair

Alo barstool, Poltrona Frau

Newtone sofa, Moroso

One4Units Residences, Full Circle L.T.D., Cipro

Futuro chaise longue

Store KIKO Make up Milano, Bologna

Flagship Store Billionaire Italian Couture, London

Alitalia CFA Fiumicino, Rome

Juliette chair, Memphis

Balzo armchair, Moroso

Scuba outdoor light, Zumtobel

Ala handle, Olivari

Gioconda kitchen, Snaidero

New York Residence, Boscolo Group, Budapest

"People Mover" underground project, Iosa Ghini/ STS, Bologna

Massimo Iosa Ghini
architect and designer

Massimo Iosa Ghini was born in 1959 and he graduated from Polytechnic Institute in Milan. Since 1985, he has been part of the avant-garde movement in Italian design, creating illustrations, objects and ambiences for the Bolidism group, which he founded. In the same period he was also called on by Ettore Sottsass to be part of the Memphis group, and he opened the Iosa Ghini Studio, starting to work as an architect and designer. Iosa Ghini designs furniture, collections and objects, and develops art direction for leading Italian and foreign design firms, and he has defined a highly recognisable and personal style over the years. His professional growth as an architect has developed through his work in planning architectural and exhibit areas, creating cultural and commercial installations, and designing retail chains around the world. He has held conferences and lectures at a number of universities, including the Polytechnic Institute of Milan, the Domus Academy, the University of Rome, the Elisava School in Barcelona, the Design Fachhoschule in Cologne, the Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst in Vienna and he is Adjunct Professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has also represented Italian design at various international symposia. His works can be found in various international museums and private collections. His projects have received the Good Design Award 2001 and 2004 by the Chicago Atheneum, and the Red Dot Award 2003. His studio, Iosa Ghini Associates has offices in Bologna, in an old fourteenth-century building, and in Milan, with a staff of about thirty persons. Since 1986 Iosa Ghini Associates has been working on design and architecture projects with the goal of supplying its international experience to a select group of customers. Over the years, it has gained extensive experience in developing architectural and interiors projects for major companies, among them Ferrari, for which it designed the new Outlet at Serravalle Scrivia, Percassi Group, Italian Post, Seat Yellow Pages and Italian telephone companies. Among its architectural projects is the work done in Miami (USA) to design a covered plaza surrounded by commercial space, developing the theme of a mall for luxury cars. The studio was also commissioned by Ustra to design the main underground station of Hannover, opened for Expo 2000. Iosa Ghini Associates is also following the concept and design of all the airport areas and VIP lounges for Alitalia. Actually, after having designed the New York Palace hotel in Budapest, it is following the restyling of the Atlantic Hotel in Nice. In progress, a new building in Budapest for residential and commercial areas, an office building for the private company in Italy, and a residential area in Cyprus and the People Mover in Bologna-Italy. In the last years the Studio has been invited to many selected competitions; among them a convention area for the international company G.D., Italy, the Maserati and Enzo Ferrari's house Museum, the "Museo della Città" in Bologna, and the new area for the city administration Campidoglio Due in Rome.

Collaboration with Alessi, Alitalia, Almaweb, Antrax, Banca Mediolanum, Banca Popolare di Bergamo, Barausse, B-Lux, Bolidò Club, Bonaldo, Boscolo Group, BRF, Cassina, CCC, Cersaie, Cinova, CMC The Collection Inc., Cocktail, Comune di Bologna, Del Conca, Design Gallery, Domodinamica, Duravit, Dornbracht, Hoesch, Esselunga, Ferrari Spa, Bologna Fiere, Flou, Fondazione Carisbo, Fondazione Casa Natale Enzo Ferrari, FDV Group ,Full Circle DV LDT, Garage S. Marco, GD, Gervais, Giemmegi, Gruppo Merloni, Hatria, iGuzzini, Infostrada, Isa, Italsofa, Kiko, Kokuyo, Listone Giordano, Maserati, Memphis, Miodino, Misuraemme, Moroso, Natuzzi Divani, Olivari, Omnitel, Philips, Poltrona Frau, Poste Italiane, RAI, Renault, Ritzenhoff, Roche Bobois, Saporiti Italia, Seat Pagine Gialle, Silhouette Modelbrillen, Snaidero, Superga, Teuco, Tuttoespresso, Ustra Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe AG, WP Lavori in corso, Yamagiwa, Zouk Club, Zumtobel Staff.

Contacts:

IOSA GHINI ASSOCIATI Srl
Architettura e design
Via Castiglione, 6
40124 Bologna (BO) Italy
Tel. +39 051 236563
Fax +39 051 237712

IOSA GHINI ASSOCIATI Srl
Architettura e design
Via Gentilino, 6
20136 Milano (MI) Italy
Tel. +39 02 58106183
Fax +39 02 58106700

www.iosaghini.it/
info@iosaghini.it
www.iosaghini--limited--edition.com/
info@iosaghini--limited--edition.com