Have you heard of Gae Aulenti? This architect dedicated her life to restoring the architectural values of the past, renovating and rehabilitating historic buildings.
After exploring great figures in architecture such as Zaha Hadid, Antoni Gaudí, or Lina Bo Bardi, at Behind Pictures we invite you to take a closer look at the inspiring career of Gae Aulenti and discover the achievements of an architect who had to fight to earn her place in a male-dominated industry.
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Who was Gae Aulenti?
Born in 1927 in Palazzolo dello Stella, near Milan, Gae Aulenti was an Italian architect and designer who focused primarily on the restoration of historic buildings damaged during World War II. She graduated in Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Milan and soon after began working for the magazine Casabella, from 1955 to 1965. Throughout her career, she was involved in a wide range of independent projects, from architecture to industrial design, interior design, and even theatrical set design.Historical context
To understand her work, we must place ourselves in Milan in the 1950s, during a period of reconstruction following World War II. The entire Lombard capital was striving to recover its former glory. Gae Aulenti dedicated herself to researching and restoring the historical and cultural values of the region’s architectural heritage, always respecting the contemporary environment.The Neoliberty movement
The post-war reconstruction effort, combined with the rise of rationalism in architecture, led Gae Aulenti to join the Neoliberty movement through her work at Casabella. Under the direction of Ernesto Nathan Rogers, editor of the magazine, she promoted a renewed vision for post-war Italy—moving away from the coldness of rationalism and embracing the recovery of individual traditions and cultural identity.The professional career of Gae Aulenti
Throughout her career, she explored multiple disciplines, from interior and industrial design to architecture and the restoration of historic buildings. Gae Aulenti designed hundreds of products and pieces of furniture, such as the iconic Pipistrello lamp and the Locus Solus chairs. She also worked on private residences and stores for brands like Olivetti and Fiat, among many others. In addition, she created stage designs for operas such as Rossini’s Journey to Reims and transformed major historic buildings into museum spaces around the world, including the former railway station converted into the Musée d’Orsay, which we’ll explore further below.Awards and recognitions
Gae Aulenti’s career was not an easy one. She had to fight to gain recognition in a male-dominated field. However, her talent and dedication earned her the title of the “Lady of Architecture” and numerous awards. Here are three of the most notable:- Praemium Imperiale for Architecture, awarded by the Japanese Imperial family in 1991
- Ex aequo Marble Architectural Awards 2007
- Medaglia d’oro all’architettura italiana by the Triennale di Milano in 2012
