Mario Bellini, born 1935 in Milan, studied architecture at the Milan Polytechnic. He taught at the Istituto Superiore di Disegno Industriale in Venice from 1962-65 and worked as a design consultant for Olivetti from 1963-91.

He also designed independent products and furnishings beginning in 1963, establishing the architectural and design firm Studio Bellini in Milan in 1973. He served as a design consultant to Renault from 1978-82. In 1987 the New York Museum of Modern Art honoured him with a retrospective exhibition of his works. He was an instructor at the Hochschule für Angewandte Kunst in Vienna from 1982-83 and at the Domus Academy in Milan from 1983-85.

Bellini was chief editor of Domus magazine between 1986-91. He assumed a position on the architectural faculty at the University of Genoa in 1995, and teaches seminars and workshops at universities and academic institutions around the world.

Projects:

From the 1980s onwards, he has designed projects such as the Portello Trade Fair quarter in Milan, the Exhibition Centre in Villa Erba on Lake Como, the Tokyo Design Center in Japan, Natuzzi America Headquarters in the USA, the Trade Fair in Essen in Germany, and the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.

Current projects include the Cultural Centre in Turin, the renovation of the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, the Museum of Islamic Arts in Paris, the renovation of the central headquarters of the Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt, the Verona Forum complex, the Museum of the City of Bologna, the Scientific-Technological Park in Genoa and the Convention Centre at the Milan Exhibition Complex.

Exhibitions:

• 2008 Major retrospective, Triennale di Milano, Milan
• 2003 Major retrospective, The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
• 1996 "Urban Islands: Architectural Works of Mario Bellini 1985-1995", The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), London
• 1992 Exhibition on Mario Bellini as an architect and as a designer, Tokyo Design Center, Tokyo
• 1987 Solo exhibition, Museum of Modern Art, New York