Architecture News

Unlocking the Joy of Design: Castiglioni's Playful Legacy

Exploring the Milan Studio: A Designer's Treasury

Stepping into Achille Castiglioni's former studio, situated near Milan's picturesque Parco Sempione, is akin to entering a whimsical world. The space is a vibrant repository of intriguing gadgets, whimsical trinkets, stylish sunglasses, and even a curling stone. This eclectic assortment, meticulously gathered by the late Italian architect, prompts visitors to consider whether these playful items ever seamlessly integrated into his renowned works, which include chairs, shelving units, and teapots. According to Marco Marzini, co-curator of the upcoming 2026–2027 exhibition "Achille and Bruno, Free to Play," while Castiglioni's designs didn't directly translate into toys, his personal collection served as both a source of amusement and a wellspring of design inspiration, enjoyed with his children and friends.

The Interplay of Play: Castiglioni and Munari's Shared Vision

The current exhibition skillfully recontextualizes Castiglioni's diverse collection of curiosities by placing them in conversation with the prolific work of his contemporary, Bruno Munari. This juxtaposition illuminates Castiglioni's deep appreciation for the inherent joy found in everyday items. While Castiglioni himself did not venture into designing interactive games or toys, Munari's artistic portfolio is rich with educational puzzles, engaging books, and innovative playthings. Marzini eloquently explains the contrasting yet complementary approaches of the two men: "Munari empowered children to feel like adults, and adults to reconnect with their inner child." By presenting their works side-by-side, the exhibition brilliantly underscores Castiglioni's profound commitment to infusing a sense of fun into serious design.

Unveiling the Hidden Gems of the Foundation's Archive

Upon entering the Foundation, nestled within a historic courtyard characteristic of Milanese palazzos, the exhibition space immediately evokes the ambiance of a working studio rather than a conventional gallery. There are no stark white walls; instead, bookshelves overflow with magazines, and antique display cases with aged glass reveal not delicate china but an intriguing collection of knick-knacks, googly eyes, and vintage 3D movie glasses. This dynamic environment feels alive, a true cabinet of curiosities, suggesting that the designer, despite his passing over two decades ago, continues to inspire and create within its walls.

Embracing Creative Chaos: Marzini's Exhibition Approach

Capitalizing on the studio's inherent sense of organized chaos, Marzini and the Castiglioni Foundation have crafted an exhibition that immerses visitors in a vibrant "fun house" of design. A poster of Munari's iconic October 1944 Domus spread, depicting him playfully engaging with a topsy-turvy armchair, hangs from the ceiling, inviting viewers to reconsider perspectives. To further encourage interaction, a heavily upholstered armchair, propped on its back and facing a mirror, encourages visitors to playfully interact with ordinary objects, mirroring Munari's whimsical spirit and offering a unique photo opportunity.

Interactive Exploration: Engaging with Munari's Innovative Techniques

The spirit of playful engagement extends to the back rooms of Castiglioni's studio. Here, a dimly lit alcove features a screen descending from hand-operated pulleys, serving as a canvas for projected light. This space transforms into a creative laboratory where visitors can experiment with three Rocket Ferrania projectors, designed in 1960 by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni. These projectors are set up to replicate Bruno Munari's "Direct Projections" (Proiezioni Dirette), allowing participants to create art by arranging layers of colored film, paper scraps, and various materials in front of a light source. Additionally, a large photocopy machine is available for guests to explore Munari's "Xerografie originali," his pioneering experiments in image-making using the scanning capabilities of a copier.

New Perspectives: Castiglioni's Eyewear Collection and Munari's Portraits

In another intimate section of the exhibition, a flat, backlit glass case showcases Castiglioni's extraordinary collection of eccentric eyewear. Above this display, images of the designer himself, adorned with various humorous spectacles and beaming, highlight his impressive assortment of quirky goggles. Suspended above, a mobile-like arrangement features prints of faces illustrated with black lines, drawn from Munari's extensive series of drawn portraits. As Marzini insightfully notes, "the human face, as a vessel of expression, is made up of elements that can be altered, layered, and transformed through the endless play of the mask." Here, the concept of the mask transcends physical coverings, evolving into a philosophical idea that explores how we conceal, obscure, and adorn our faces to embody different identities.

Revisiting Castiglioni's Enduring Legacy Annually

Each year, the foundation dedicated to Achille Castiglioni delves into his extensive archives to present innovative perspectives on his enduring legacy to the public. For instance, in 2018, they organized "100x100 Achille," an event where a hundred designers were invited to contribute a small, everyday object as a "gift" to Castiglioni, accompanied by a birthday card celebrating his centennial. These modest items served as a homage to his profound inclination for collecting even the smallest tchotchkes. Eight years later, the "Achille and Bruno, Free to Play" exhibition meticulously illustrates how these seemingly insignificant treasures profoundly influenced his most celebrated works, bringing his playful spirit to life once more.

Architect Federico Mentil has undertaken a remarkable endeavor across three Alpine communities in the Paluzza municipality, close to the Austrian border. His vision reimagines cremation spaces, weaving columbaria directly into the fabric of existing cemeteries and their dramatic mountain backdrops. This project skillfully navigates the challenge of integrating contemporary memorial structures into historical burial grounds, departing from the typical practice of attaching prefabricated units to perimeter walls. Mentil's site-specific designs for Timau-Cleulis, Paluzza, and Rivo transform the act of storing ashes into an integral component of the cemetery's architectural narrative, rather than an isolated addition.

Each of the three cemeteries, situated on the fringes of their respective villages, shares a profound connection with the surrounding natural world. Their robust stone boundaries delineate sacred ground from the immediate surroundings while simultaneously framing breathtaking vistas of the valley's majestic mountain ridges, notably the Pizzo Timau outcrop. Within this framework of ancient stone, evocative thresholds, and carefully composed views, each architectural intervention is uniquely tailored to its specific spatial context.

At Timau-Cleulis, the columbarium is thoughtfully placed within the entry area that marks the end of the cemetery's central axis. What was once an open and underutilized space, defined by a grand arch overlooking the valley, has been re-envisioned as a transitional zone connecting the cemetery with the mortuary. A timber structure, crafted from larch wood, gently encloses the ossuary, reducing the imposing height of the vestibule and fostering a more intimate atmosphere around the cremation niches, which are adorned with pristine white Carrara marble. The entrance to the mortuary chamber is marked by a dark steel threshold that seamlessly passes through the memorial structure. A raised platform, designed for communal ash storage, occupies one side, while a concrete bench offers a tranquil spot for contemplation, directing one's gaze towards the dramatic vertical rock formations of Pizzo dei Camosci and Pizzo Timau. This columbarium masterfully blends its commemorative function with a space inviting pause, reflection, and quiet congregation.

In Paluzza, the design addresses a previously neglected slope nestled between two distinct levels of the cemetery. Instead of introducing a new, freestanding building, the project cleverly utilizes the existing terrain to sculpt the form of the columbarium. Two parallel walls gracefully follow the contours of the slope: one serves as a low barrier, while the other ascends with the natural rise of the land. Cremation niches, sealed with elegant Carrara marble slabs, are arranged in two rows along these walls, creating a harmonious linear composition that integrates flawlessly into the landscape. A narrow strip of land above the niches is intentionally planted with native flora, destined to evolve into a vibrant, natural tapestry over time, eschewing a fixed aesthetic in favor of a dynamic, living memorial.

The Rivo project, also conceived by architect Federico Mentil, involves a dual intervention both within and beyond the cemetery walls. The original ossuary, which previously contained niches within unadorned grey metal cabinets, has been transformed into a more serene memorial space. New niches are artfully positioned along the wall facing the entrance, sealed with Carrara marble slabs supported by reinforced concrete infill. A modest existing window has been reimagined as a poignant focal point for prayer, while natural light streaming through the entrance door, shaped by a cross-like opening, imbues the interior with a sacred ambiance. Outside the cemetery perimeter, a new reinforced concrete structure organizes the previously undefined area between the entrance and the parking zone. Its bush-hammered surface, retaining visible formwork joints, will develop a rich texture over time, gradually merging with the ancient stone architecture. A generously sized opening frames panoramic views of the valley, establishing a powerful contrast between the solid marble surfaces of remembrance and the expansive open landscape beyond. The deliberate absence of a roof connects the space directly to the heavens, reinforcing the profound relationship between the cemetery, its natural surroundings, and the solemn ritual of memory.

Across all three projects, Mentil maintains a cohesive material palette, featuring Carrara marble, local stone, warm timber, durable steel, and robust concrete. The marble slabs provide a unified visual identity for the cremation niches, while steel elements serve as subtle markers of memory and ceremonial significance. A central theme uniting these interventions is the profound emphasis on landscape as an active and integral component of cemetery design. Rather than isolating these memorial spaces, the designs expertly frame vistas, incorporate indigenous vegetation, and allow the chosen materials to evolve gracefully through weathering and natural processes. This trilogy of cemetery designs exemplifies how cremation architecture can be thoughtfully integrated into existing sacred landscapes, through precise, site-responsive interventions shaped by material integrity, the passage of time, and the evolving nature of memorial spaces.