The International Interior Designers Association (IIDA), based in Chicago, believes that design can enhance the quality of life through ‘knowledge, value, and community.’ Their mission complements Luminaire’s commitment to educating the public about the many ways that good design can change people’s lives.
Therefore, when Luminaire President and Co-Founder Nasir Kassamali was asked to address the public and the IIDA on the beauty and functionality of Italian Design from 1965 to the present, it offered an ideal opportunity to share a passion for good design while enlightening the audience to new ways of thinking about how design affects one’s everyday life.
Italy has long been a worldwide leader in industrial design, from furniture, to lighting and decorative objects. By highlighting works by eminent designers such as Mario Bellini, Vico Magistretti, Enzo Mari, and Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Kassamali infused the audience with provocative ideas and products that emerged over the past three decades. He also discussed the undeniable influence of the Compasso d’oro (Golden Compass) prize and exhibitions like Salone del Mobile in Milan on the conception and dissemination of Italian design.
Since much of the design discussed is also available at Luminaire, visitors had the opportunity to take the new knowledge gained one step further and experience first-hand the joy that unfolds when one interacts with great Italian design.
Tuesday, October 1, 1996
