Designer : Luigi Colani

A German designer of Italian and Polish origin, Luigi Colani is famous in Japan as "Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th century". Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th century Leonardo da Vinci...

Design MarketMarch 2017
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A German designer of Italian and Polish origin, Luigi Colani is famous in Japan as the "Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th century Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th century". Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th century Leonardo da Vinci of the 20th century". But where does his fame and exceptional status come from? Here's a look at this designer of genius. [caption id="attachment8145" align="aligncenter" width="615"] © en.grund.cz en.grund.cz [/caption] Luigi Colani was born in Germany in 1928. He studied painting and sculpture in Japan, before taking an interest in aerodynamics, which he studied at the prestigious Sorbonne University in Paris. He pursued his professional career in this field, designing the aerodynamics of cars for major manufacturers such as BMW, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia and Ferrari during the 1950s. At the same time, the brilliant Colani worked for the aviation industry, in particular for Boeing and Rokwell. [caption id="attachment8142" align="aligncenter" width="434"] BMW 700 (1963) © io9.gizmodo.com io9.gizmodo.com [/caption] [caption id="attachment8143*" align="aligncenter" width="547"] Ferrari Testa d'Oro (1989) © io9.gizmodo.com io9.gizmodo.com[/caption] Colani is interested in design in its entirety and extends his fields of expertise to furniture, kitchens, pens, glasses, clothes and even trains. He focused his approach on form and use, inventing what is known as bio-design, a technique that draws inspiration from nature to address design issues. The "design messiah", as he is known in Japan, has created pieces of remarkable precision that are in perfect harmony with their surroundings. Just take a look at his creations: [caption id="attachment8141*" align="aligncenter" width="638"] Flötotto desk | "Garden Party" chair | UFO hanging lamp Flötotto desk | "Garden Party" chair | UFO hanging lamp [/caption] Luigi Colani is a talented designer who has had a profound impact on design; without him, bio-design would not exist. Discover vintage Luigi Colani pieces available on Design Market Discover vintage Luigi Colani pieces available on Design Market Discover vintage Luigi Colani pieces available on Design Market

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