Biography

Ettore Sottsass was born on September 14, 1917 in Innsbruck, Austria. He is known for Ragazze Hippies (1969), Ettore Sottsass - Der Sinn der Dinge (2007) and Generazioni d'amore: Le quattro Americhe di Fernanda Pivano (2001). He died on December 31, 2007 in Milan, Italy.

Use of colorful plastic and unusual shapes

He is probably best known for designing Olivetti's iconic red plastic "Valentine" typewriter (1969). He brought color and informal touches to gray, stodgy office environments. He designed hundreds of objects, including lighting, furniture, ceramics, and jewelry.

Designer and architect.

He studied architecture in Turin, Italy. He opened his first studio in Milan in the late 1940s. In 1958, he went to work for Olivetti.