Designer
Osvaldo Borsani studied at Accademia di Brera and architecture at Politecnico in Milan, graduating in 1936. As early as 1932 ABV Arredamenti Borsani was opened in Milan by Osvaldo Borsani. (He followed in his father’s footsteps: his family was running an important furniture “atelier”.) While still in school, Osvaldo Borsani participated to the V Triennale di Milano in 1933, presenting his “Casa Minima” a purely rationalist project. During the post war years, Osvaldo Borsani designed home furnishings co-signed with: Aligi Sassu, Agenore Fabbri, Arnaldo and Gio’ Pomodoro, Fausto Melotti, Lucio Fontana, Andrea Cascella. During the early 50’s Osvaldo Borsani dedicated himself to the design of single pieces of furniture industrially produced: together with his brother, he established Tecno (a firm later known for its technology and research-based approach to furniture design). In 1954, during the X Triennale, the newly born Tecno was presented with the Butterlfy long seat D70, which is still an icon of Italian Design. In 1956, a big opportunity was given to Osvaldo and Fulgenzio Borsani: the commission by Enrico Mattei for the ENI headquarters, in San Donato, near Milan. A prestigious project for a highly populated headquarters environment. In few years, Tecno became a benchmark for engineering and technological innovation. In 1970, together with his daughter Valeria and Marco Fantoni, Osvaldo Borsani introduced the Centro Progetti Tecno, a collaborative design laboratory for new products development. Centro Progetti Tecno started a very successful season of project relationships with the likes: Eugenio Gerli, Gae Aulenti, Renzo Piano, Rafael Moneo, Emilio Ambasz.