courtyard windows into studio Achille Castiglioni

…yesterday morning – which I was only made aware of a few days ago thanks to an illuminating International Herald Tribune story by design journalist friend Alice Rawsthorn – turned out to be the highlight of my short time in the city overrun by crass corporate Salone Internazionale del Mobile madness  – from which my 10am tour (I was all alone since apparently the other Achille fans had partied too hard and too late at design fair events? but the 11am tour was packed) of Studio Castiglioni was an absolute refuge, into a laboratory/playroom atmosphere still thick with the curious mind that worked there from 1944 until his death in 2002, and on may way out I had the pleasure of meeting his daughter Giovanna, through whom I felt a greater sense of the spirit of the place, which the Studio Museum Castigioni will be trying to hold on to for as long as they can.