Ernesto Gismondi was the founder of
Artemide Group.
In 1957 he gained a degree in Aeronautical
Engineering at the Milan Polytechnic and
in 1959 he gained a degree in Missile
Engineering at the Professional School of
Engineering in Rome.
Since the early ‘60s he has been devoting
to the planning and production of lighting
equipment, founding Studio Artemide
S.a.s., from which the Artemide Group
was to develop, together with designer
Sergio Mazza. He became established as
an international designer, participating, as
one of the inventors, in “Memphis”, and
designing various successful appliances
for the Group.
Over the years, under his guidance, the
Artemide Group saw its market share
grow and its international reach increase,
making it one of the main players in the
design lighting sector, a role that earned
him important acknowledgements.
In 2018 he won the Compasso D’Oro for
Lifetime Achievement with the following
motivation of the jury: “Aerospace engineer,
university lecturer and entrepreneur, in
short: man of multifaceted talent. Founder
of Artemide, he immediately uses design
processes as a distinctive factor and
in this long process encourages and
enhances collaborations with the world
of national and international design. A
coherent example of how design can be
a concrete strategic lever for cultural and
economic growth, it has always worked
so that Italian design can be a virtuous
example at an international level”.
Ernesto Gismondi
Author
2
3
