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Richard Sapper

Born in Munich, Richard Sapper initially studied philosophy before moving in a completely different direction. He began his creative career with the architect Gio Ponti, before working for the design department of Daimler Benz and then in 1959 establishing his own studio in Milan. Richard Sapper has designed products for a wide portfolio of international companies, often setting new standards as he did. The Tizio table lamp, for example, created in 1972 for the Italian lighting manufacturer Artemide, exploits the laws of leverage and helped establish halogen lighting. Sapper also developed numerous design classics for Alessi, for example the Coban Espresso Maker, the first to successfully compete with the much more angular aluminium jug. For IBM, the Munich designer designed the Thinkpad laptops, one of the brand's most important product lines. Among the countless manufacturers for whom Richard Sapper has worked during his lifetime one finds Kartell, Knoll International, Lenovo, and Magis. On 31 December 2015, Sapper died aged 83. For his work, Richard Sapper was awarded the German Bundesverdienstkreuz in 2012.

Designer Richard Sapper


More about 'Richard Sapper' in our blog

Lightopia Talk. Richard Sapper @ Vitra Design Museum. Reprise.

...Aside from the ability to accurately focus light, Richard Sapper had a further motivation in designing his Tizio lamp: "Another problem was that I am a very disorganised person... " Richard Sapper "Der Design-Prozeß" in Uta Brandes "Richard Sapper...

Vitra Design Museum: Lightopia Talk. Richard Sapper - Lifetime Oeuvre.

...But before the lights finally go out on March 9th there are still a few genuine highlights in the Fringe programme to be enjoyed, including on Thursday January 23rd a talk with and about the Milan based designer Richard Sapper... Born in Munich in 1932 Richard Sapper has worked with and for companies as varied as Daimler-Benz, Kartell, Siemens and Alessi, has created televisions, telephones, chairs, espresso machines, bookcases and telephone boxes, in addition to perhaps his best known work - and unquestionably the basis for the invitation to the Vitra Design Museum - the 1972 lamp Tizio for Artemide...

Vitra Design Museum: Lightopia

...Rietveld and Wilhelm Wagenfeld before moving over, almost, all the famous classics of the genre, including, George Carwardine’s 1932 Anglepoise, Tizio by Richard Sapper, Artichoke by Poul Henningsen and various works by Verner Panton before reaching 85 Lamps by Rody Graumans through droog...

Roll and Hill Lighting

We're not in New York for ICFF this year. Last year was just toooooo traumatic... Which is a shame because our inbox is full of the most wonderful shows and products - not least the lamp collection from "the new American lighting company" Roll and Hill. In...

Artemide "Best design brand Home and Living 2009"

Although we'll probably always have problems with design and branding Awards, we do appreciate the value and importance that many of them represent. And so congratulations from us to Italian lighting designer and (smow)partner Artemide for first place in the...


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