Franco Albini was an Italian designer and architect best known for his chairs, tables, and other furniture. Combining ergonomic focus with regimented geometric form, Albini’s use of traditional materials created striking contours. Born on October 17, 1905 in Robbiate, Italy, he studied at the Politecnico di Milano University until 1929, wherein he apprenticed for the famed Italian architect Gio Ponti. Gaining notoriety through exhibiting at the Milan Triennale in 1930, the designer quickly rose to international acclaim, working with companies such as Knoll, Arflex, and Poggi. His most widely recognized piece is the self-referential Albini Desk, which was released in 1928. Over the course of his career, he also designed industrial products, interiors, and large-scale civic architecture. Albini died on November 1, 1977 in Milan, Italy. Today, his works are held in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.