Having decided on his career at age 13, Antonio Citterio has become one of the most renowned architects and designers on the international stage, working for Italian and foreign companies such as Arclinea, B&B Italia, Flexform, Flos, Guzzini, Hansgrohe, Iittala, Kartell, Maxalto, Pozzi Ginori, Skantherm, Tre Piu, and Vitra.

A proponent of rational design, Citterio has produced truly innovative furniture design while paying homage to influences such as Eileen Grey, Charles and Ray Eames, and George Nelson. Winner of the Compasso d’Oro Award in 1987 and 1995, his products are part of the MOMA permanent collection in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Between 1987 and 1996 he worked in association with Terry Dwan and, together, they created buildings in Europe and Japan. In 1999 ‘Antonio Citterio and Partners’ was founded by Citterio and Patricia Viel, a multidisciplinary studio for architectural design, industrial design and graphics.

Among significant architectural projects undertaken by Antonio Citterio and Partners are the restyling of a block in the historical center of Seregno; Esprit headquarters in Amsterdam, Antwerp and Milan; industrial plants for Vitra in Germany and for Antonio Fusco in Milan; the Bulgari Hotels in Milan and Bali; two new stores for De Beers in London and Tokyo; and the B&B Italia Center for Research in Novedrate. Citterio has even moved into the field of corporate communication and corporate image projects. “The studio,” Citterio says, “is now involved in all aspects in the fields of industrial design, interiors and architecture.”

Luminaire has shared Citterio’s unique insights about architecture and design with audiences in both Miami and Chicago on several occasions throughout the years. In June 2004, Luminaire was the first to present Citterio’s stunning new lighting collection for FLOS. Citterio also discussed his architecture and design projects at the opening of Luminaire’s Superior Street location in Chicago in November 1992, and Luminaire welcomed Antonio Citterio and Terry Dwan as guests of honor at “Milan in Miami,” an evening gala and exhibit that celebrated Luminaire’s 21st anniversary in June 1995.

To help Luminaire in the quest for fighting cancer, Citterio also participated in PuppyLove 2006, transforming a 3D white plastic puppy designed by Eero Aarnio in a fuschia-colored, curly-tailed gift of love that was sold at auction to raise funds for the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Research center.

In 2008, Citterio explored the use of thermo-treated ash wood, exposed to 200 degree temperatures, in the design of his new Anteo sofa, and also designed Frank, an elegant modular seating collection that can be adjusted for formal and casual settings. A generous seat depth and uniquely designed pillowed armrests make Frank as a sofa that is comfortable and innovative.

Later in the same year, Citterio celebrated the magically properties of paper with Luminaire, creating ‘In-Out,’ a simple yet eye catching single piece of white paper with four neat columns of pyramids spread across the white page and five rows leading down. Some pyramids are raised, becoming ‘outs’, and some embossed, thus becoming ‘ins’. Light and shadow playfully created varied shades of gray on the pyramids’ sides as they danced in different directions. A simple concept, but intriguing enough to explore hours. ‘In-Out’ was auctioned to raise funds for cancer research during the exhibition PaperLove.