Gio Ponti. A fascinating book at the height of its kaleidoscopic universe

This book about Gio Ponti is part of the famous first edition of the Taschen publishing house. The book is intended as an unprecedented tribute to Gio Ponti's work and achievements as a timeless creator and an illustrious publisher.

The book has been produced in close collaboration with the Gio Ponti archive and its founder Salvatore Licitra. This special edition features images and texts that bring the incredible work of the architect and designer closer to the reader in an unprecedented way.

"The most resistant element is not wood, it is not stone, it is not steel, it is not glass. The strongest element in construction is art. Let's make something very beautiful."

Gio Ponti

Gio Ponti is a fascinating book on a par with the kaleidoscopic universe of the artist to whom it pays homage. This book is the most comprehensive monograph ever published, with an unprecedented scale and scope.

The book surveys Gio Ponti's oeuvre, appreciating the clear and unique vision behind his complex creative universe. His work could be understood as a synthesis of the arts, combining Italian grandeur with a deliberate lightness, shaping his iconic style, which was developed intuitively.

Gio Ponti analyses the artist's work and its development over six decades, with 136 projects catalogued and reproduced in high resolution. It also includes an extensive biography of Ponti by Stefano Casciani, with a set of texts that offer an intimate view of his entire oeuvre.

The book succeeds in materialising the essence of Gio Ponti's modern philosophy, presenting architecture as an illuminated stage, from his way of life, humanism and boundless creativity.

Among the projects catalogued are: The Faculty of Mathematics at the University of La Sapienza, the Pirelli Tower, the church of San Francesco d'Assisi al Folppomino, the Borletti Chapel, Villa Planchart, in addition to his works in ceramics, furniture, among others.

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Inside pages. Gio Ponti by Stefano Casciani, Karl Kolbitz, Lisa Licitra Ponti, Salvatore Licitra, Briam Kish and Fabio Marino.

Villa Planchart, Caracas, Venezuela, 195 3 –57. The large carport with a dramatic cantilevered canopy is on the south side of the villa. This entrance is also the access point to the service areas at the back of the house: kitchen, laundry, storage, and offices. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Church of San Francesco d’Assisi al Fopponino, Milan, 1961 –64. The main façade is embedded in a perforated detached screen that uninterruptedly envelopes the two flanking buildings overlooking the large inclined parvis. The iridescent ceramic cladding, made of light gray, smooth and diamond -point tiles, captures and reflects the sunlight, while hexagonal openings allow the sky to show through. Photo © Luca Rotondo.

Interior of Villa Arata, Naples, 1952. The double reception room’s furniture was all designed by Ponti and made by Cassina, 1950. Ponti’s “organized wall” unit was made by Giordano Chiesa in 1952, and was filled with ceramics by Fausto Melotti, as well as by Ponti for Richard-Ginori. In the dividing wall, resting on the ledge of the interior window, are Ponti’s glass tumblers with a Fulvio Bianconi bottle, all by Venini, 1948. The ceramic floor tiles were made by Gabbianelli, 1950. Photo © Gio Ponti Archive

Interior of the Villa Planchart, Caracas, Venezuela, 1953 –57. The main double -height reception room, which is split on two levels, each defined by a distinct floor pattern and furniture arrangement. In the foreground, Ponti debuted his Mariposa armchairs (Cassina, model 851 of 1954), made by Cassina, in leather upholstery. At the back, a set of armchairs and a sofa from the Diamond line (also of 1954). Hanging above, there is a site - specific installation by Jesus Rafael Soto, added after Ponti completed

Interior of the Villa Planchart, Caracas, Venezuela, 1953 –57. View of the main dining room. The painted tabletops, fragmented marble floor slabs, and illuminated ceiling that is partially in relief visually engage together. All tables and surface designs were custom designed by Ponti and made by Giordano Chiesa. Ponti also designed the elongated and salient brass wall sconces, custom -made by Arredoluce, 1957. The door to the right leads to the main kitchen. Photo © Antoine Baralhe.

Hotel Parco dei Principi, Rome, 1961 –64. View of the lobby. The walls are covered with “Grass Cloth” wall - paper by Braendli and teal -green “Sigmulto” stucco by Sigma. The space is furnished with armchairs and sofas (model 899) and coffee tables produced by Cassina. Wall sconces and ceiling lights were designed by Ponti with Emanuele Ponzio, realized by Candle, 1960. The hexagonal bronze window frames were manufactured by the Del Vecchio factory of Fano. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of

Gio Ponti with Piero Fornasetti, Zodiac Suite, ocean liner Andrea Doria, 1950. Colored photograph from an Andrea Doria advertising brochure. Ponti and Fornasett achieved a game of reversals with the blue -and -white pattern on pattern, engulfing the entire room and distorting spatial reading, but with an unexpected intimacy of enchantment. Photo Courtesy Paolo Piccione Collection.

Hotel Parco dei Principi ‘Villa Siracusa’, Sorrento, 1960. View toward the stairs. Ponti adopted different designs to clad the vertical surfaces of the lobby, combining the colored pebbles produced by Ceramica Joo with the ceramic panels realized by Fausto Melotti. The ceiling lights are by Osvit, while the wall sconce is by Arredoluce. Photo © Allegra Martin/Courtesy Collezione Fotografia MAXXI Architettura.

Hotel Parco dei Principi, Rome, 1961 –64. View of the banquet room. Interior walls are covered in colored ceramic pebbles produced by Ceramica Joo, and embellished with hand -printed curtains made by Jsa. The room is illuminated by ceiling lights realized by Osvit, and furnished with chairs and tables produced by Cassina. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Interior Design for the Ceccato Apartment, Milan, 1950. Main reception room with central table as desk, in Ferrara burr walnut, as are sections of the wall paneling. Two illuminated recessed shelves display ceramics by Fausto Melotti. Photograph by © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Interior of the first-class reading room of the ocean liner Conte Grande, with furniture by Ponti made by Cassina, 1949. Photograph by © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Project for Villa Guzman-Blanco Caracas, Venezuela, 1958. Photomontage with the architectural scale model of the villa. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Ponti with an early model of the Pirelli Tower, January 1955. This version, with greater expanses of transparent glazing, was more in keeping with Ponti’s idea which, in his words, would eliminate the horizontal “striped-pajama” effect. To Ponti’s displeasure, Alberto Pirelli insisted on the use of intervals of opaque glass, to prevent anyone looking up the skirts of female employees. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs (Photo Publifoto).

Gio Ponti in his studio in Via Dezza, with current projects, 1956. Photograph by © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Gio Ponti and his son Giulio at the New York Alitalia offices, with the Superleggera chairs produced by Cassina, 1957. Photograph by © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs (Photo Dan Wynn).

Triennale Armchair, produced by Manifattura Isa, 1952. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Superleggera (model 699) for Cassina, 1957. Black-and-white painted version of the Superleggera (model 699), emphasizing the dematerialization of the form by Ponti’s “positive/ negative” method. Made by Cassina, 1957. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs (Photo Giorgio Casali).

“0024” pendant lamp for Fontana Arte, with crystal disks and nickel silver metal elements, 1931. Photograph by © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Prototype of sterling silver flatware, the “Diamond” line, produced for the American market, made by Reed & Barton, Rhode Island, 1954–57. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Coffee table with metal-grid top, 1954. Coffee table with metal-grid top, made by Giordano Chiesa. Ponti initially used this version for Villa Arreaza in Caracas, with later variations for the Alitalia offices in New York and his own apartment in Via Dezza. It was also put into a small production for the Swedish store, Ferdinand Lundquist, in 1955. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

Design for the corner bar in the Villa Planchart, Caracas, Venezuela, 1953–57. Ink drawing with colored gouache, mapping out the geometric patterns in green, blue, gray, and purple. Ponti delineated the two foldout tables and the pivoting bar shelf, all concealed behind a flat wood surface painted with overlapping triangles and trapezoids. Photo Courtesy Centro Studi e Archivio della Comunicazione, Universitа di Parma. Sezione Progetto, Fondo Gio Ponti.

Storable Furniture for Saffa, 1944– 45. Ponti’s illustration for the complete bedroom ensemble. Photograph by © Gio Ponti Archives/ Salvatore Licitra.

Interior Design for Alfredo Beracasa, Caracas, Venezuela, 1956. A sketch of the interior in which Ponti schematically delineates furniture and colors. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Salvatore Licitra.

Colored drawing with letter to Lisa Licitra Ponti, felt-tip markers. 1960s. Photograph by © Gio Ponti Archives/ Salvatore Licitra.

Cover of Domus 326, January 1957. Cover by Gio Ponti, showing his patterned floor surfaces using white marble slabs interspersed with sections of black cement with black stone insets. Produced by Fulget. Courtesy Editoriale Domus S.p.A.

Cover of Domus 270, May 1952, showing the main reception room at the Vembi -Burroughs company in Genoa. Ponti designed the large display table, which was also used for secretarial training of the company’s products. The rubber floor was Ponti’s “Giallo fantastico” made by Pirelli. Courtesy Editoriale Domus S.p.A (Photo Ancillotti).

Gio Ponti designing ceramic floor tiles at the Ceramica D’Agostino factory in Salerno, 1964. Photo © Gio Ponti Archives/ Historical Archive of Ponti’s Heirs.

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More information

Label

Curators

Text

Salvatore Licitra.

Label

Text Authors

Text

Introduction.- Salvatore Licitra. Biographical essay and epilogue.- Stefano Casciani. Project descriptions.- Lisa Licitra Ponti, Salvatore Licitra, Stefano Casciani. Image captions.- Brian Kish, Fabio Marino.

Label

Editor and designer

Text

Karl Koibitz.

Label

Editorial coordination

Text

Silvia Scamperle.

Label

English translations

Text

Antonia Franklin, Wendy Wheatley.

Label

Copy-editing and proofreading

Text

Harriet Graham.

Label

Production

Text

Marion Boschka.

Label

Graphic Design

Text

Graphic Design, creative consultancy.- Thomas Phillips. Graphic production and layouts.- Lewis Clegg.

Label

Measures/Pages

Text

36 x 36 cm, 5.67 kg, 572 pages.

Label

Language

Text

German, French, English, Italian.

Label

ISBN/EAN

Text

Multilingual edition.- 978-3-8365-0135-4. English edition.- 978-3-8365-0134-7.

Label

Binding

Text

Hardcover.

Label

Year of publication

Text

2021.

Label

Publishing house

Text

TASCHEN.

Arquitectos Gio Ponti

Gio Ponti. Giovanni Ponti, known as Gio Ponti, was born in Milan in 1891, died in 1979. He graduated from the Polytechnic of Milan in 1921. His professional activity began as a partner of Emilio Lancia and Mino Fiocchi. A reference in Italian Interior Design, he founded "Il Labirinto" in 1927, producing furniture and objects that stand out for their quality.

From 1923 to 1930, he was the artistic director of Richard Ginori. He was also known for being the founder of Domus Magazine, (which he directed almost until his death), is remembered for his avant-garde contribution to Italian production. He was a great promoter of the Monza Biennial, as well as the Milan Triennial, the Compasso d'Oro prizes and the ADI (Industrial Design Association).

From 1923 to 1930, he was artistic director of the firm Richard Ginori. He founded Domus Magazine in 1928. He has been a great promoter of the Monza Biennial, after the Milan Triennial, the Compasso d'Oro awards and the ADI (Industrial Design Association).

His most important architectural works include the Montecatini office buildings and the Pirelli skyscraper, designed with Fornaroli, Rosselli and Nervi in 1956.

In the field of Interior Design, in 1957, and as a result of a long and meticulous production, he obtained a great success with the Superleggera/Superligera chair, designed for Cassina.

The architect was a professor at the Polytechnic of Milan from 1936 to 1961. At this university, he is also remembered for the campus projects: "Trifoglio" and "La Nave".

Published on: April 23, 2021

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