luigi colani: retrospective biodesign codex show

luigi colani: the future is on show in milan – colani, biodesign codex show triennale bovisa, milan, italy

on show until january 8th, 2012

motorcycle study by luigi colani image © designboom

luigi colani thinks radically towards the future. the triennale bovisa is featuring ‘the future is on show in milan – colani, biodesign codex show‘, the first retrospective exhibition of the works conceived by luigi colani, in milan, italy. thousands of projects, designs, inventions, prototypes and life-size models conceived by the german-born swiss-italian artist, industrial designer, and aerodynamicist comprise the largest collection ever produced by a single artist with his own hands and without the help of computers. visitors will meander through the artwork and simultaneously journey through the timeline of his evolving methodology rooted within the connection between nature and man-kind.

exhibition view image © designboom

his fusion of science, art and nature identified him as an early pioneer of biodesign, generating morphing forms to interpret nature’s shapes. items of various scales ranging from chairs to geodesic domes are installed within the 800 square meter indoor gallery and 1500 square meter outdoor area, with additional objects scattered and displayed at monumental locations throughout the city of milan.

‘egly’ motorcycle reached world record within its class back in 1986, with 336 km/h image © designboom

‘going back so that you can go forward. we need a real sudden shift. mankind simply must go back to its origins and get back to nature. we have to be part of nature itself, not just consume it: biodesign shows us how to live harmoniously and peacefully with nature. we can learn to protect what we know and love.’ – luigi colani

luigi colani talks about the world record of the ‘egly’ motorcycle image © designboom

dolphin airplane image © designboom

portable television image © designboom

alien chair (1968) image © designboom

‘aereo shark’ (1982) image © designboom

rugby chair (1980) image © designboom

‘mach 3 carrier’ spatial module – a project for a japanese aerospace company (1980) image © designboom

‘mach 3’ carrier – back view image © designboom

flying object image © designboom

red suitcase image © designboom

mega security crude.oil carrier image © designboom

‘sakura maru’ container ship (1978) image © designboom

image © designboom

car study for chinese market image © designboom

high speed plane (2005) image © designboom

the exhibition shows models and studies drawn on the wall image © designboom

image © designboom

‘speed’ chair (2011) image © designboom

image © designboom

‘flat chair’ green, white, red (1995) image © designboom

luigi colani portrait © designboom

luigi colani is a sculptor, painter, flight engineer, technical designer and city planner by occupation, but aerodynamicists, 3-D and form philosopher from passion.

colani is born in berlin, germany on the 2nd august 1928 where his father (from switzerland) worked as film architect. he studied at the academy of art in berlin and aerodynamics at the sorbonne university. after completing his studies in 1952 he left the sorbonne and went straight to california where he was employed for high speed research by douglas as aerodynamic and plastic expert. in 1954 he came back to europe and built up one of germany’s most successful design teams. he worked for alpha romeo, lancia, VW and BMW. in 1972 he opened his studio in harkotten, switzerland, and worked for companies like villeroy and boch, rosenthal, thyssen, pelikan, and boeing. in 1982 he went to japan and worked for sony, yamaha, seiko, hitachi nissan and canon. since 1991 he has been the inspired idea finder for NASA. a colani design centre with a large colani research centre was opened in karlsruhe, germany, in april 2002. his automobile, industrial and furniture designs have won many coveted prizes all over the world.

an article presenting colani’s conceptual car designs will be featured on designboom shortly.