Concept, transformability, and memory in the designs of Vico Magistretti

Abstract

Vico Magistretti categorically rejected the notion of style as a defining category of his work. His creative process was based on conceiving each object as an autonomous entity, detached from any narrative coherence between his projects. However, when analyzing his work as a whole, certain transversal traits emerge that construct a recognizable identity. This article aims to explore the idea that, despite his apparent rejection of the concept of style, a coherence emerges in the Milanese designer's work, based on two fundamental principles: the transformable nature of the objects—capable of adapting to different contexts of use—and the inspiration drawn from models of anonymous tradition, those everyday objects lacking authorship but imbued with functional and cultural meaning. Through these connections, Magistretti manages to articulate a poetics of design that balances innovation, memory, and utility.