Patricia Urquiola was born in Oviedo in 1961. She lives and works in Milan and has been chosen by Forbes magazine as one of the 100 most creative minds in the world. She studied Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Madrid and the Polytechnic University of Milan, where she graduated in 1989 with Achille Castiglioni. An assistant to Achille Castiglioni and Eugenio Bettinelli in Milan and Paris, she was responsible for the new product development office at DePadova, working with Vico Magistretti, and head of the design team at Lissoni Associati.
In 2001, he opened his own studio, focusing on product design, architecture, and installations. His recent architectural projects include the Jewel Museum in Vicenza, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona, the Das Stue Hotel in Berlin, the Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel in Milan, the Room Mate Giulia Hotel in Milan, and the Hotel Il Sereno in Como; as well as showrooms and installations for Gianvito Rossi, BMW, Cassina, Missoni, Moroso, Molteni, Officine Panerai, H&M, Santoni, and Pitti Immagine Firenze.
Patricia has created products that have revolutionized contemporary design for the most important Italian and international companies, such as Laufen, Agape, Alessi, Axor-Hansgrohe, B&B Italia, Baccarat, Boffi, Budri, De Padova, Driade, Ferragamo, Flos, Gan, Georg Jensen, Glas Italia, Haworth, Kettal, Kvadrat, Listone Giordano, Louis Vuitton, Molteni, Moroso, Mutina, Rosenthal, and Verywood. Her designs are characterized by their clear lines and formal simplicity, but also by their irrepressible sensuality.
Some of her designs are exhibited in various museums and collections, including the MoMA in New York, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Design Museum in Zurich, the Vitra Design Museum in Basel, the Victorian & Albert Museum in London, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, and the Triennale Museum in Milan. She has also received numerous awards and recognitions. An ambassador for Expo Milano 2015, she was appointed Art Director of Cassina in September of that year.
The most international of Spanish designers was present at the Milan Furniture Fair, with designs such as the Vimini outdoor furniture collection for Kettal, her ottomans for GAN Rugs, and her new version of the Gentry sofa for Moroso. Urquiola was also among the eight designers who redesigned Vogue's headquarters in Milan for its "Life in Vogue" exhibition, which took place during Milan Design Week.
