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JOE COLOMBO
The life of maverick Italian designer
Joe Colombo (1930–1971) may have
been short, but his futuristic vision of
intelligent technology and integrated living
environments had a revolutionary impact
on mid-century design.
Joe Colombo’s design approach was always
future-facing, opting to focus on lasting
innovation rather than fleeting trends.
His style was typically shaped by material
experimentation and a pronounced em-
phasis on functionality. Colombo envisaged
furniture that could stand independent
of the architecture that surrounded it
– chameleonic pieces that could adapt to
suit any space, at any time.
