We mourn the loss of Alessandro Mendini

The news reached us this morning. Alessandro Mendini, designer, and outstanding architect who, like no other, shaped the city of iF headquarter Hannover, passed away yesterday. He died in his hometown Milan, Italy, with 87 years.

With Alessandro, we have not just lost a designer, writer, architect and publicist, but a grand provocateur and avant-gardist. His yellow and black checkered train station in the middle of Hannover, or the light green glass-building for the Madsack publishers nearby, with his signature golden right circular cones, were a controversy at first: either people loved it or they hated it – until it became an irreversible public trademark. As one of the most influential representatives of postmodernism, this was exactly the magic behind his unforgettable designs, be that his iconic female-shaped corkscrews Anna G. for Alessi, the coffee machine Geo, or the opulent Proust chairs for Alchimi. Alessandro’s use of colors and forms and ironic approach to everyday products was full of relish.

With Mendini, we have lost a great mind, rare creative soul and outstanding catalyst for new tendencies, that never wanted to fit in a box or style.

Our thoughts are with his family and all his friends who just like us are left shocked and deeply saddened by this news.