Enrico Franzolini (1952-)
Before he became a designer, Enrico Franzolini was an accomplished artist. He exhibited his work at the Venice Biennale and other shows and galleries throughout the 1970s. He began to study architecture and received his degree in 1979. Since then he has designed many famous modern pieces of furniture. His Compasso D’Oro armchair and side chair earned him the highest design award in Italy and perhaps the highest in all of Europe at the 1998 Venice Trienniale. Some of his other designs include the Elan and Tapis chairs.
In his furniture designs, he uses various materials ranging from metals to plastics to wood. He has designed pieces for some of the most well respected furniture companies in the world such as Knoll, Cappellini, and Moroso. Inspired by post World War II Milan, his work has become a classic example of innovative Italian design.