An essential new look at the design philosophy that interrogated modern living against the turbulent political landscape of 1960s Italy

In the mid-1960s, reacting to contemporary social and political upheaval, young Italian architects and designers began developing a new style that openly challenged Modernism. Known as “Radical design,” this movement probed possibilities for visually transforming the urban environment. Radical design’s proponents also applied it to items such as furniture and lighting, utilizing alternative materials and an innovative formal vocabulary. Radical: Italian Design 1965–1985 surveys the work of these pioneering designers through nearly 70 objects and architectural models—including rare prototypes and limited-production pieces. Cindi Strauss insightfully explores the aesthetic inspiration and changing cultural mores that informed the movement, and her research is complemented by an essay from Germano Celant, the acclaimed author and curator who coined the term “Radical design.” Importantly, the book includes seven interviews with Radical designers and architects, offering fresh insights into the individuals who were at the vanguard of this groundbreaking movement.

Published in association with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Exhibition Schedule:

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
(February 14–April 26, 2020)

Yale School of Architecture Gallery
(September 3–November 20, 2021)

Contributions by: Germano Celant, Marissa S. Hershon, J. Taylor Kubala, Sarah Horne