Day 213/365 of Steel – Dino Gavina

A masterclass of Italian design.

Dino Gavina (born November 7, 1922 – died April 6, 2007) was an Italian designer, entrepreneur, and publisher. He began his career in the 1940s working on stage sets. Gavina, for whom “production is the most effective communication medium of our time, a medium that can be used as a vehicle for stupidity or for civilization,” was an aesthetic operator who succeeded in establishing a new relation between culture and industry, with mass-produced furniture and domestic and personal objects of high aesthetic and ethical value.

Gavina 'André' dining table
Fig 1: Gavina ‘André’ dining table
Source: vntg.com

In 1960, Dino Gavina founded Gavina SpA, the company that would eventually manufacture the designs of the important Italian designers of the 1950s and 1960s, such as the Castiglioni brothers, Carlo and Tobia Scarpa, Cini Boeri, Vico Magistretti, and Mario Bellini.

Steel Sculpture “Futurist Flowers”
Fig 2: Steel Sculpture “Futurist Flowers”
Source: apitoliumart.it

In 1960, the two Italian design icons Achille Castiglioni and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni decided to entrust the production of the iconic Sanluca chair to Dino Gavina’s company. In 1962, together with Cesare Cassina and industrialist Arturo Eisenkeil, Dino Gavina founded FLOS, which is still one of the most important Italian lighting companies today.

Set of 4 vintage Magnolia dining chairs by Kazuhide Takahama for Dino Gavina, 2000s
Fig 3: Set of 4 vintage Magnolia dining chairs by Kazuhide Takahama for Dino Gavina, 2000s
Source: design-market.co

Six years later, in 1968, Gavina founded Studio Simon together with Maria Simoncini. Today, Dino Gavina is remembered for his entrepreneurial skills and for being one of the most influential figures in the world of industrial design.

About the Author:

Bruno Dursin – Managing Director at Believe in Steel. Bruno has more than 30 years of experience in promoting steel & steel solutions. His clients benefit from his extensive network within the building industry.

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