Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, Eileen Gray, Ray Eames, Gae Aulenti, Zaha Hadid, Paola Lenti, Paola Navone, Patricia Urquiola

Eileen Gray (1878-1976), a pioneer of modernist design and the aesthetics of the International Style, was a friend and rival of Le Corbusier. She designed the villa E1027 on the French Riviera for her partner Badovici: recently restored, it can be visited by appointment. The murals inside were painted by Le Corbusier, who created them as an “artistic defacement” of the villa’s white walls after Gray and Badovici’s relationship ended.

Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, 1897-2000, an Austrian rationalist architect, designed the “Frankfurter Küche” in 1926, the archetype of the continuous modular kitchen as we know it today.

Patricia Urquiola, Spanish by birth and Milanese by adoption, is one of the most prolific and talented designers of our time.

Zaha Hadid (1950-2016), Iraqi-born and naturalized British, was the first female architect to receive the prestigious Pritzker Prize. She is known as “the queen of curves” for her signature use of curves in architecture.

Paola Lenti, a brilliant creative mind and entrepreneur, creates exquisite furniture and accessories using weaving techniques and technical materials ideal for outdoor and nautical environments.

Gae Aulenti (1927-2012), the Lady of Italian architecture, oversaw the renovation of Palazzo Pubblico in San Marino.

Paola Navone , architect, designer, art director, and interior designer – is driven by an immense curiosity for diverse cultures suspended between East and West, design and craftsmanship. Today she collaborates with a long and eclectic list of renowned companies, including Armani Casa, Knoll International, Alessi, Driade, Casamilano, and Molteni&C. In 2000, she was named “Designer of the Year” by the prestigious German magazine Architektur & Wohnen.

Alexandra “Ray” Eames (1912-1988), worked in partnership with her husband Charles to create timeless icons of style such as the hyper-famous armchair in the picture.