Carlo De Carli
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Carlo De Carli (1910-1999) was not only an architect and designer, who made a profound impact on design
in the 20th century, but also one of Italy’s leading and most respected professors, who left a fundamental
mark of theoretical reflections and ethics of behaviour in an entire generation of architects.
Carlo De Carli graduated in architecture from the Politecnico di Milan in 1934 – a university in which
he was strongly connected to throughout his career, being Dean of the Faculty of Architecture from 1965
to 1968 and teaching there until 1986. A respected academic and writer, his philosophy focused on the
integration of space, material and the human body and gesture, and with this ideology he effectively
engaged a dialog between design, universities and the craftsmanship world.
He worked with legendary architect and designer Gio Ponti, and his years with Ponti came to shape
young Carlo De Carli’s language and approach to design. He later went on to set up a studio on his own,
where his design quickly became widely recognized and manufactured by some of the most important and
innovative Italian design companies.
A fine sense for modern material, design and industry and a willingness to experiment and invent,
characterizes Carlo De Carli’s contribution to post-war architecture and design, and earned him a
reputation as one of the greatest masters of Italian design.
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