Pio Manzu

Pio Manzù (1939–1969), son of sculptor Giacomo Manzù, studied at the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Ulm, where he refined his precise and experimental approach to design. By 1967, he was collaborating with Fiat, creating visionary projects such as the City Taxi, the Autobianchi Coupé, and the iconic Fiat 127. Alongside his work in automotive design, Manzù developed objects that would become design classics: the Cronotime clock for Ritz Italora, the Parentesi lamp for Flos, and the Portaoggetti desk organizer for Kartell. His “physiological armchair,” conceived in 1967 for La Rinascente, and the one-leg table designed for the Agnelli residence in Rome, were later reissued by Alias in 2011 and 2018. A true pioneer of ergonomics, Manzù explored the relationship between humans and machines with a rare clarity of vision. His rigorous process went beyond formal invention, addressing deeper questions of function, comfort, and the psychological dimensions of use. Through this approach, Pio Manzù helped shape a new paradigm of modern design—one where technology and human experience could meet in harmony.