Katana, Ghidini 1961, 2018
©Foto Massimo Listri
Paolo Rizzatto (Milan 1941)
He graduated in architecture from the Milan Polytechnic in 1965. With Riccardo Sarfatti and Sandra Severi, he founded Luceplan in 1978. Among his architectural works: the nursery school in Segrate (1972), the residential neighborhood in Feltre (1974-79), the retirement home in Galliate (1982), the Luceplan factory and headquarters in Milan (1997-2002). In 2004, with Edoardo Guazzoni and Sandro Rossi, he won the competition for the design of Milan’s Darsena, built in 2015 for the Expo. He collaborates with: Alias, Arteluce, Artemide, Cassina, Danese, De Padova, Fiam, Flos, Fontana Arte, Ghidini 1961, Guzzini, Kartell, Knoll, Lensvelt, Molteni, Montina, Nemo, Nuura, Philips, Poltrona Frau, Segis, Serralunga, Thonet, Veneta Cucine, Viabizzuno. He has taught at many universities. Some of his works are in the Milan Triennale, MoMA of New York, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Museum of Science and Technology in Milan, Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. He received the Compasso d’Oro in 1981, 1989, 1995, 2008 and 2011, the Lampe d’Argent Sil in 1988 and the Lampe d’Or Sil in 1990 in Paris, the Design Plus in Frankfurt in 1992 and 2006, the Lighting Design Award in New York in 1992, the European Community Design Prize in Brussels in 2004, the Red Dot Design Award in Essen in 1994 and 2010, the iF Design Award in Hannover in 1996, the Good Design Award in Chicago in 1999 and 2010, the Premio dei Premi per l’innovazione in Rome in 2011, Wallpaper Awards 2022, Archiproducts Design Award 2022.
The Katana series composes a balanced synthesis of the three elements that characterize chairs (the legs, the seat, the backrest) and turns them into separate objects, bringing to light their specific characteristics and mutual relationships. An open project, that eschews fads, designed to last but also to be developed and perfected over time. (Paolo Rizzatto)