Gae Aulenti (December 4, 1927 October 31, 2012) was an Italian architect, lighting and interior

designer, and industrial designer.[1] She was well known for several large-scale museum projects,
including Muse d'Orsay in Paris (198086), the Contemporary Art Gallery at the Centre Pompidou
in Paris, Palazzo Grassi in Venice (198586), and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (2000
2003). Gae was one of the few women designing in the postwar period in Italy, and created many
elegant pieces.
Contents
1 Early life and education
2 Work and career
3 Style
4 Death
5 Awards
6 References
7 External links
Early life and education
Born as Gaetana Aulenti, a native of Palazzolo dello Stella (Friuli), Gaetana Aulenti (Gae, as she
was known, is pronounced guy)[2] studied to be an architect at the Milan Polytechnic University,
Faculty of Architecture and graduated in 1953. She worked for the magazine Casabella.
Work and career
Aulenti worked for the design magazine Casabella-Continuit from 1955 until 1965 as an art
director, doing graphic design work and later served on the board of directors for the renamed
Lotus International magazine. During that time she became part of a group of young professionals
influenced by the philosophy of Ernesto Nathan Rogers.
Aulenti taught, after getting her doctorate, at Venice School of Architecture from 19601962 and at
the Milan School of Architecture from 1964-1967. During that time she also designed for a
department store, La Rinascente and later designed furniture for Zanotta, where she created two of
her most well known pieces, the "April" folding chair which was made from stainless steel with a
removable cover, and her "Sanmarco" table constructed from plate-glass. She then also served as
vice-president of the Italian Association Of Industrial Design(ADI).
In 1981 she was chosen to turn the 1900 Beaux Arts Gare d'Orsay train station, a spectacular
landmark originally designed by Victor Laloux, into the Muse dOrsay, a museum of mainly French
art from 1848 to 1915. Her work on the Muse dOrsay led to commissions to create a space for
the National Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris; the restoration of
the Palazzo Grassi as an art museum in Venice; the conversion of an old Italian embassy in Berlin
into an Academy of Science; and the restoration of a 1929 exhibition hall in Barcelona as Museu
Nacional d'Art de Catalunya. In San Francisco, she converted the citys Beaux Art Main Library into
a museum of Asian art.[3] In 2011, Aulenti oversaw the expansion of Perugia Airport.
Aulenti also occasionally worked as a stage designer for Luca Ronconi, including for Samstag aus
Licht (1984). She also planned six stores for the fashion designer Adrienne Vittadini, including one
on Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles. (She even designed the mannequins.)[4]
Style
Aulenti worked in the post-war period of Italy while creating pieces that spanned across a wide
variety of styles and influences. She did however always want the focus of the room to be the
occupants, she believed the people make the room a room and to not overpower. She had a
modest style, Vogue has her saying "advice to whoever asks me how to make a home is to not
have anything, just a few shelves for books, some pillows to sit on. And then, to take a stand
against the ephemeral, against passing trends...and to return to lasting values."

Death
Aulenti died in Milan on 31 October 2012, just weeks prior to her 85th birthday. She was suffering
from chronic illness and made her last public appearance on 16th October, when she received the
career prize at the Milan Triennale.
Awards
Aulenti was given her first prize at the 1964 Milan Triennial for her piece in the Italian Pavilion. Her
piece was a room with mirrored wall with cutout silhouettes of women inspired by Picasso. It was
entitled "Arrivo al Mare". She also served on the Executive Board for the Triennial from 19771980. In 1991, she was awarded the prestigious Praemium Imperiale.
References
"architect Gae Aulenti passes away". AGI.it. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
Douglas Martin (November 1, 2012), Gae Aulenti, Muse dOrsay Architect, Dies at 84 New York
Times.
Douglas Martin (November 1, 2012), Gae Aulenti, Muse dOrsay Architect, Dies at 84 New York
Times.
Douglas Martin (November 1, 2012), Gae Aulenti, Muse dOrsay Architect, Dies at 84 New York
Times.
Muriel Emmanuel. Contemporary Architects. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1980. ISBN
0-312-16635-4. NA680.C625. p 53.
Ruth A Peltason. 100 Contemporary Architects. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers.
ISBN 0-8109-3661-5. NA2700.L26. p 24.
"Design & Art: Gae Aulenti." Design & Art: Products. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://
www.designandart.at/designer/gae-aulenti/>.