Fazzioli and Parisi couple, table for MIM

ENNIO FAZIOLI / ICO & LOUISA PARISI for MIM (Mobili Italiani Moderni). Rome, 1960s.
Wood and metal.
Exhibits sligthly wear consistent with age and use. The desk is in good condition and exhibits sligthly wear consistent with age and use. Only the drawer has a key, the rest of the desk has no key.
Measurements: 76,5 x 220 x 110 cm (desk). Height to the bottom of the table top: 72.5 cm. Space between the frames: 85 cm. 58,5 x 45 x 60 cm (chest of drawers); 58,5 x 90 x 60 cm (sliding doors of the closet).

The trio of designers Ico and Louisa Parisi, together with fellow designer Ennio Fazioli, created great creations in the 1960s. The one on offer here is a large desk in wood and metal divided into three compartments: the central one, the table itself, is distinguished by its pure forms raised on metal legs; on the right is a small cabinet with sliding doors; on the left is a chest of drawers with four drawers, the top one with lock and key. Both the cabinet and the drawer unit have casters that allow the user to configure a different arrangement. The clean, clear, sharp lines are accentuated by the metal slats. The contrast of materials adds elegance to the ensemble.

The architect-designer Domenico "Ico" Parisi trained in the construction industry in Como between 1931 and 1935, and in 1936 he began working in the office of the rationalist architect Giuseppe Terragni in Como, which marked the beginning of his professional career, which was also briefly linked to the world of cinema in the late 1930s. Returning to his initial vocation, design, Parisi was one of the founding members of two architectural groups: Alta Quota and Gruppo Como. In 1947 he married fellow designer Luisa Aiani, a former student of Gio Ponti, also a member of Alta Quota, and the two founded their studio La Ruota in Como in April 1948. Between 1949 and 1952, Parisi studied architecture with Alberto Sartoris at the Athenaeum Institute in Lausanne (Switzerland). In 1952 he became a member of the Milan Art Club, and in 1956 of the Association of Industrial Design (ADI). Parisi designed many interiors, furniture (mainly wood and metal), glass, jewelry and architectural projects, both alone and with Luisa. His studio was a meeting point for collaborations between established artists and emerging designers. His clients included: Singer & Sons, Altamira, M.I.M. Longhi , and Cassina. Ico, in collaboration with architects Silvio Longhi and Luigi Antonietti, designed the Living Room pavilion for the 10th Milan Triennale. The couple's collaboration with Cassina was very fruitful, resulting in many famous designs, such as the Model 691 (1955) and Model 839 chairs, both nominated for the Compasso d'Oro in 1955.