Angelo Mangiarotti (1921–2012)

Architect, industrial designer, and sculptor, Angelo Mangiarotti was a unique figure in postwar Italian design. His rigorous approach—deeply rooted in architecture—gave rise to objects in which structure, material, and form are seamlessly integrated with sculptural precision.

Graduating in Architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1948, he continued his studies at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, where he came into contact with influential figures such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, and Konrad Wachsmann. This experience deeply shaped his view of design as a dialogue between function, technique, and formal elegance.

Mangiarotti’s work spans from industrial buildings to domestic furniture, always marked by meticulous attention to structural detail. In the realm of product design, he became renowned for his innovative construction solutions, as seen in his iconic Eros table, where the marble top rests on a conical base with no visible joints, using gravity and precision to achieve a perfect structural balance—an exemplary fusion of form and function.