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Gae Aulenti, the Architect of Free Thought

16/01/2023

We are asked to name 5 women in the history of 20th-century design. Gae Aulenti (1927-2012) is at the top of the list.

She graduated in architecture in the 1954 from the Polytechnic of Milan, one of the top universities in the world rankings, becoming one of the very few post-war female architects.

Aulenti engaged in numerous projects of international standing,  which include the renovation of the Gare d’Orsay in Paris to install the famous museum, the renovation of the Palazzo Grassi in Venice and the project for the Contemporary Art Gallery of the Centre George Pompidou.

She thought of the city as a whole, carrying out the urban redevelopment project of Piazza Cadorna in Milan, and other urban areas in Naples, Turin or Palermo.

She dreamed of pieces and objects. The Pipistrello table lamp is one of her most widely recognized designs.

One of her quotes is. "The moment red is officially decreed trend, I will start using green".

Gae Aulenti left us in 2012 at the age of 85.