Born in Italy in 1927, Gae Aulenti trained as an architect at the Milan Polytechnic before becoming a graphic designer and editor for the design magazine Casabella. At the same time, she designed furnitures for famous publishers such as Knoll and Artemide. As a multi-faceted designer, she explores and proves herself in various fields: architecture, design, interior design, urban planning and scenography.

From the beginning of her career, Gae Aulenti has been a member of the Italian Neo-liberty architectural movement, characterised by a revival of the tradition of ornament, in opposition to the modernism of the 1950s. All her creations are therefore marked by a return to traditional construction and manufacturing methods, stamped with a strong personal stylistic expression.

The designer loves light and sublimates it through the design of luminaires with soft lines, a perfect balance between the inspiration of the past and an aestheticism of futuristic appearance.

Among other things, Aulenti created the mythical “Pipistrello” lamp (1965) and was also behind the projects to redesign the Musée d’Orsay (1980-1986) and the Centre Pompidou (1982-1985).
She was one of the first women to receive numerous prestigious awards, including the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennial in 1964. François Mitterrand decorated her with the Légion d’honneur in 1987.