Michele de Lucchi, architect and designer, was born in Ferrara, Italy in 1951. He studied architecture at Padua and Florence University until 1975. From 1975 to 1977 he was an academic assistant of the architecture faculty at Florence University.
In 1973 Michele de Lucchi joined forces with other designers and architects to form "Cavart", a radical design group. In 1978 he moved to Milan, where he worked for Kartell in their proprietary studio Centrokappa. Contact with Ettore Sottsass induced Michele De Lucchi to join the "Studio Alchimia" designers. For their exhibitions, he designed several grotesque and comical design objects. In 1978 Michele de Lucchi designed "Sinerpica", a table lamp that is practically useless as a lamp. In 1979 he also designed several prototype household appliances, which were shown at the Milan Triennale although they were never manufactured.
Afterwards, de Lucchi was employed by Olivetti as a design consultant. Together with Sottsass, he created the "Icarus" office furniture series for Olivetti and decorated Fiorucci shops all over the world.
From 1980 de Lucchi was a member of the "Memphis" group, creating "Lido" (1982), a colorful sofa and the "First" chair (1983) for Memphis.
In the late 1980s Michele de Lucchi returned to good design. "Tolomeo" (1987), a stringently clear, functional aluminium work lamp created jointly by Michele de Lucchi and Giancarlo Fassina for Artemide, became a bestseller.
In 1988 Michele de Lucchi founded the small lighting company "Studio de Lucchi" to produce lighting that was technically not very complex, could disregard the requirements of mass production, and could be made by craftsmen using traditional techniques. In 2001 "Fata" and "Fatina" were launched, lamps of milky white, handblown Murano glass. On the side, Michele de Lucchi and his design studio continued to work for large companies.
In 1993 Michele de Lucchi designed the branches of the Deutsche Bank, in 1995 he developed a shop system for Mandarina Duck, and in 1997 the Deutsche Bahn Travel Center in Frankfurt.
In 1998 de Lucchi founded the firm "amdl", which run offices in Milan and Rome.
