Cooper Hewitt says...
Louis C. Kalff was a pioneering Dutch architect and designer. Born in Amsterdam in 1897, Kalff trained first in the applied arts before seeking an architecture degree at the Technical University in Delft. Kalff ultimately graduated with an engineering degree in 1923. While still a student, Kalff began designing posters and flags, and worked as a designer of theater sets. In 1925 Kalff wrote a letter to Anton Philips, the president of Philips & Co., a company based in Eindhoven that had established itself as a major producer of light bulbs and radio tubes. Kalff told Philips that he felt the company's advertising could be improved. Philips hired him within days as the company's Art Director. Kalff designed Philips iconic orange logo, which was used across the company’s printed platforms. He also embarked on product design, creating lamps and radios that were manufactured by Philips. Kalff helped to produce the Philips Pavilion at the World’s Fair in Brussels in 1958. Throughout his career he also worked as a freelance graphic designers, creating book covers and posters for clients including the PTT, Holland America Line, Holland Radio, and Zeebad Scheveningen. As an architect, he designed the Philips Observatory (1937) in Eindhoven, Netherlands as well as several other buildings and private homes. He died in 1976.
