Cooper Hewitt says...
Considered one of the most important designers of his generation, Richard Sapper was born in Munich, Germany in 1932, and went on to practice industrial design in Italy. His works were characterized by a combination of simplicity of form, technical innovation, and wit. After graduating from the University of Munich, he became a designer at car manufacturer Mrecedes-Benz, but relocated to Milan, Italy in 1958 where he worked for the architect Gio Ponti. In 1959 he partnered with Italian architect and designer Marco Zanuso. The pair were hired as consultants by the electronics manufacturer Brionvega, for whom they designed a series of radios and televisions, like the TS502 and Algol portable TV, that have become icons of mid-century design. Other notable Sapper designs include the Grillo folding telephone, the Tizio halogen lamp and the two-note Bollitore whistling tea kettle for Alessi. In 1980, Sapper was made principal industrial design consultant to IBM and began designing portable computers for the company. Sapper was also a design educator, teaching at the Royal College of Art and Yale University, among other institutions. Sapper has won numerous awards, and some of his most notable clients have included Artemide, B&B Italia, FIAT, Kartell, Knoll, Pirelli, and Alessi.
