The born of Fondazione Rodolfo Dordoni - Fondazione Rodolfo Dordoni

A new cultural institution born to preserve the memory and design philosophy of Rodolfo Dordoni.

The Fondazione Rodolfo Dordoni, is established with the aim of preserving, promoting, and disseminating the artistic, intellectual, and design legacy of Rodolfo Dordoni (1954–2023), the Milanese architect and designer who played a leading role in the evolution of contemporary Italian design. The Foundation located in Milan in Via Bramante, where a new cultural season takes shape – dedicated to study, research, and dialogue between the past, present, and future of design.

Courtesy of Minotti

As stated by Founder and President Gordon Guillaumier:

“This Foundation was created to preserve and share not only Rodolfo Dordoni’s body of work, but also his way of inhabiting the world. His clarity of thought, compositional balance, graceful gestures, innate kindness and elegance were all reflected in his luminous and measured design philosophy.”

Dordoni was a key figure in shaping a timeless aesthetic—a refined interpreter of design languages who brought together formal research, technical precision, and a deep sensitivity to materials. His composed and rational approach, marked by discretion and attentive listening, led to long-standing collaborations with some of the most iconic Italian design brands, including Minotti, Cassina, Molteni&C, Roda, Cappellini, Flos, Foscarini and Kartell. His work, spanning furniture, lighting, interior architecture, and industrial design, is united by a consistent vision defined by compositional balance and expressive strength, continuing to inspire generations of designers worldwide. Throughout his career, Dordoni received several accolades, including the Premio Nazionale per l’Innovazione (2011), awarded to his firm Dordoni Architetti, and an Honourable Mention at the XXIII Compasso d’Oro (2014)—both recognitions of his exceptional cultural and design impact. From 1997 until his passing, he served as Artistic Director of Minotti, and from 2006, he oversaw the creative and visual identity of Roda.

The mission of the Foundation is to safeguard and promote Rodolfo Dordoni’s design legacy, fostering a broader understanding of his ideas within the culture of design and sharing his vision with a wider audience. Its initiatives will include the development of a comprehensive website, the creation of both a physical and digital archive, the publication of a curated catalogue, the establishment of scholarships, and the organization of workshops, lectures, exhibitions, and other activities for education, research, and outreach. The Foundation’s vision is to become a key reference for the study and promotion of design and architecture, with a curatorial approach that encourages exchange across generations, disciplines, and cultures—sparking new reflections from a heritage of ideas and forms.

The Foundation’s Board of Directors includes: Gordon Guillaumier (Founder and President), Luca Zaniboni (Vice President), Chiara Rusconi, Piero Gandini, Luca Bombassei and Jon Shaw. The supervisory body is represented by Dr. Alessandro Cislaghi. A multidisciplinary Scientific Committee—currently composed Rudi von Wedel, Gabriella Zecca, and Enrico Morteo—will support the Foundation’s activities by developing lines of research and contributing to the definition of cultural projects with an international scope. The Foundation’s visual identity was designed by Alberto Moreu of Multi Form, with the aim to translate into graphic form the clarity, grace, and balance that defined Dordoni’s work.

Mission

In a design world that is constantly evolving, the Fondazione Rodolfo Dordoni aspires to be a space of thought and transmission—a vibrant place where the elegance and precision of Rodolfo Dordoni continue to engage with the present and inspire new creative and intellectual trajectories.

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