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Archizoom Associati

Italian

For eight years, Italian architecture and design studio Archizoom Associati challenged modernism and aligned itself with what we now call Radical Design, an avant-garde art movement established largely in Florence that produced exuberant conceptual furnishings and objects that were neither practical nor very commercial. Through iconic works like the Sanremo floor lamp and the Mies lounge chair, Archizoom and other proponents of the movement protested functionalism and explored form, color and material in a way that countered the existing social order.

Founded in 1966 by University of Florence students Andrea Branzi, Gilberto Corretti, Massimo Morozzi and Paolo Deganello, Archizoom questioned mass consumerism and the validity of rapid postwar modernization in their native country. In their architecture initiatives, interiors, installations, furniture and more, Archizoom's members were pioneers of postmodernism — future Memphis Group cofounder Ettore Sottsass was also part of the Radical Design movement — and alongside likeminded collectives such as Superstudio, Ziggurat and UFO, Archizoom drew on Pop art, Minimalism and Arte Povera to expand upon the expressive potential of design. Branzi and his peers were also deeply influenced by the visionary work of London architecture collective Archigram — so much so that the group’s name is inclusive of Zoom, which is the name of a zine published by the British collective.

In Archizoom’s No-Stop City — an unbuilt architecture project — the urban area is stripped bare, a featureless monochromatic expanse that sees built structures meeting nothing more than the basic needs of human existence. The group’s Mies lounge chair — a tribute to early modernist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe — was developed for Poltronova and hardly resembles a chair at all. It is not until one sits down that the detached bench seat combines with the backrest and becomes a full seat. The human body bonds the pieces together to make a chair that is surprisingly functional — and even compact.

The Radical Design movement is experiencing something of a renaissance, and Archizoom Associati’s works featured prominently in 2020’s “Radical: Italian Design 1965-1985” at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The collective’s designs were given a global stage in the classic 1972 exhibition “Italy : The New Domestic Landscape” at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, but most of the groups associated with Radical Design dissolved by the mid-1970s. The Mies lounge chair is held in MoMA’s permanent collection. 

Find vintage Archizoom Associati seating, lighting and tables on 1stDibs.

Average Sold Price
$9,000
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Related Creators
Iconic Designs from Archizoom Associati
Explore timeless pieces that have earned their place in history.
Archizoom Mies Lounge Chair
Archizoom Mies Lounge Chair
Archizoom Sanremo Floor Lamp
Archizoom Sanremo Floor Lamp
"Mies" Lounge chair with Ottoman by Archizoom Associati, 1960s
By Archizoom Associati
Located in Lasne, BE
Metal and camel colored leather lounge chair with cowhide cushion and luminous ottoman by Archizoom Associati. Dimensions Ottoman: H: 31 cm W: 104 cm D: 20 cm. Wear due to time and a...
Category

1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Archizoom Associati

Materials

Metal

Archizoom 'Orchidea' Coat Stand by Massimo Morozzi, 1980s
By Massimo Morozzi, Archizoom Associati
Located in Brescia , Brescia
Discover the epitome of avant-garde design with the Archizoom 'Orchidea' Coat Stand, a stunning piece created by the visionary Massimo Morozzi in the vibrant era of the 1980s. This i...
Category

1980s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Archizoom Associati

Materials

Wood, Lacquer

Superonda sofa, Archizoom & Associati, Poltronova 1970s
By Poltronova, Archizoom Associati
Located in Milano, Lombardia
Superonda sofa, Archizoom & Associati, Poltronova 1970s. Superonda is distinguished by its bold absence of a body. At the center of its design are two sinuous waves, precisely sculpt...
Category

1970s Post-Modern Vintage Archizoom Associati

Materials

Faux Leather, Foam

Superonda sofa by Archizoom Associati for Poltronova
By Archizoom Associati
Located in Chicago, IL
Italy, 1967. Original red vinyl upholstery. This particular piece comes from the Walker Art Center’s 2016 exhibit, Hippie Modernism: the Struggle for Utopia. “Designed in 1967 by ...
Category

1960s Italian Vintage Archizoom Associati

Materials

Foam, PVC

AEO armchair by Paolo Deganello (Archizoom) for Cassina , 1973
By Paolo Deganello, Archizoom Associati, Cassina
Located in Athens, Attiki
The AEO chair was the last product from the Archizoom group, and was designed by Paolo Deganello in 1973 as an unconventional interpretation of a contemporary design chair.‎ The auda...
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Archizoom Associati

Materials

Metal

Superonda sofa by Archizoom pour Poltronova 1960
By Poltronova, Archizoom Associati
Located in JASSANS-RIOTTIER, FR
Sofa model Superonda by Archizoom for Poltronova in the 60s Iconic piece All in foam covered by a grey fabric (new)
Category

Mid-20th Century French Archizoom Associati

Materials

Fabric, Foam

Superonda sofa by Archizoom pour Poltronova 1960
Superonda sofa by Archizoom pour Poltronova 1960
H 26.78 in W 90.56 in D 27.96 in
AEO Armchairs by Paolo Deganello of Archizoom Associates for Cassina, Italy
By Paolo Deganello, Cassina, Archizoom Associati
Located in Dronten, NL
Pair of 'Aeo' chairs designed by Paolo Deganello for Cassina. Light gray leather back and arms and a blue leather seat cushion. Very comfortable Model AEO lounge chair by Paolo Degan...
Category

1970s Italian Post-Modern Vintage Archizoom Associati

Materials

Steel

Italian Iconic Radical Design "Aeo" Chairs by Archizoom for Cassina, 1970s
By Cassina, Archizoom Associati
Located in Milan, IT
Pair of AEO leather lounge chairs by Archizoom Associati for Cassina. Plastic organic-shaped base, red pillow, blue backseat and lacquered metal frame for this extremely comfortable ...
Category

1970s Italian Vintage Archizoom Associati

Materials

Metal

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Creators Similar to Archizoom Associati

More Archizoom Associati Designs
Archizoom Mies Lounge Chair
Archizoom Mies Lounge Chair
Average Price
$10,473
Number Available
3
Archizoom Mies Lounge Chair
By Archizoom Associati
Materials
Metal, Plastic, Steel, Animal Skin, Chrome, Latex, Leather, Rubber
Styles
Modern
Created by postmodern pioneers Archizoom Associati, the Mies lounge chair is one of the most important examples of Italian Radical design, an audacious antiestablishment design movement that rejected architecture norms and the capitalist excesses that its proponents associated with modernism. Archizoom’s founding members — Andrea Branzi (1938–2023), Gilberto Corretti (b. 1941), Paolo Deganello (b. 1940) and Massimo Morozzi (1941–2014) — formed the group in 1966, and their playful, provocative...
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Archizoom Sanremo Floor Lamp
Archizoom Sanremo Floor Lamp
Average Price
$5,000
Number Available
1
Archizoom Sanremo Floor Lamp
By Archizoom Associati
Materials
Acrylic, Metal, Plastic
Styles
Post Modern
With its burst of illuminated acrylic “leaves” emerging from a long metal trunk, the kitschy design of 1968’s Sanremo floor lamp resembles a cheap artificial palm tree. That irreverence is in line with the avant-garde work of Archizoom Associati, a studio formed in 1966 in Florence alongside the rise of Italian Radical design and fellow collectives such as Superstudio, Ziggurat and UFO. An “anti-design” style was fully embraced by the members of this movement — many were recent graduates of p...
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Archizoom Associati furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Archizoom Associati furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of plastic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Archizoom Associati furniture, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. We have 21 vintage editions of these items in-stock, while there is 1 modern edition to choose from as well. Many of the original furniture by Archizoom Associati were created in the mid-century modern style in europe during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Officina Rivadossi, Giuseppe Pagano Pogatschnig, and Roberto Menghi. Prices for Archizoom Associati furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $2,150 and can go as high as $43,198, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $6,475.

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