Umberto Riva
"Form is first justified by an appropriate use of material and then by the formal and visual culture one carries with them."
A master of light and a versatile designer, Umberto Riva (1928-2021) developed a body of work that spanned urban planning, architecture, landscape, interiors, and the design of lamps and furniture. A pupil of Carlo Scarpa, he participated in a Le Corbusier exhibition at MAXXI and exhibited at the Canadian Centre for Architecture.
Some of his most famous works include Casa Frea and the European Library in Milan, the restoration of Caffè Pedrocchi in Padua, and the Church of San Corbiniano in Rome, in addition to numerous lighting and furniture projects for major Italian design brands.
"I have a strong affection for this lamp. Though such sentiments are rare for me, I feel an unexpected familiarity with it. (E63)"
Considered an unconventional architect, Umberto Riva always maintained an artisanal dimension in "making architecture" and "making design".
His projects began with drawing: pencil sketches that convey an authentic, poetic, and essential research.
I suoi progetti nascono dal disegno: schizzi a matita che restituiscono una ricerca autentica, poetica ed essenziale.