Ico Parisi. Pair of bedside tables or end tables. 1950s-60s.

Ico Parisi (1916-1996), real name Domenico Parisi, is an Italian architect and designer born in Palermo and trained in Como, where he graduated in construction. In 1945 he organized the first exhibition of contemporary furniture, again in Como, which would be followed by numerous other editions. In 1947 he married a former student of Gio Ponti, Luisa Aiani, with whom he founded the La Ruota studio in 1948 and which remained active until 1995. The couple moved to Lausanne in the 1950s, where Parisi studied architecture. During this same period he dedicated himself to the creation of furniture and initiated collaborations with artists, designers and architects such as Lucio Fontana, Francesco Somaini, Bruno Munari, Mario Radice, Fausta Melotti and Gio Ponti. Its style and modern aesthetic are unique, it uses soft woods, with undulating curves, metal slats or bright and colorful trim. He won, with Silvio Longhi and Luigi Antonietti, the gold medal of the X Trinnale di Malano with the Salon pavilion (Padiglione di soggiorno). In 1956 he became a member of ADI (Associazione per il Diesgno Industriale) and worked with the biggest publishers of his time such as Cassina, Altamira and Singer & Son.