Book 2

Matteo Thun

by Alex Bucks

Published 31 October 1993
Matteo Thun was one of the founders of Sottsass Associati, an architectural and designing studio in Milan. In 1981, he co-founded the Memphis Group, which quickly gained an international reputation for its revolutionary and impressive designs. Subsequent to these illustrious beginnings, Thun opened up his own studio in Milan where he is engaged in industrial design, architecture, interior decorating and corporate design for about 100 companies worldwide. Among these are AEG, Phillips, Martin Stoll and Campari. In 1990 he began his work as creative director at Swatch. Thun has cultivated the art of designing "anonymous" mass products for industry. His designs are characterized by the juxtaposition of levity and gravity, style and jest, content and facade. This is a study of his work.