Design masters: archives to visit once in a lifetime

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Luis Barragán, Cuadra San Cristóbal, Los Clubes, Atizapán de Zaragoza, 1966-1968 - Ph. Armando Salas Portugal. Barragan Foundation

From Lina Bo Bardi to Achille Castiglioni, here are a series of historical archives to visit or browse online to reignite your love for design and life

What makes a “Master” a master? We have become accustomed to the expression “Great Masters,” and we think of these figures lounging on a distant Olympus. These are actually women and men who knew how to live their lives with fulfillment, and knew how to relate to the world around them with love through their work, leaving a trail of beauty and wonder behind on which we can all still nourish ourselves. This is also possible thanks to the determination of those who today have collected, held together and preserved a fragile treasure, mostly made up of photographs, papers, drawings, films, as well as buildings and objects.

No matter your age, profession, degree of interest in architecture or design: we all inhabit a house, cross a street or sit on a chair. Depending on how we relate to these spaces or objects, according to feng shui, we can attract or repel flows of cosmic abundance. So we may learn from some of the best designers and architects who have been able to combine the deep meaning of life in everyday objects and spaces, generously offering us this synthesis.

We could learn a sense of community from Lina Bo Bardi’s projects in Brazil, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni’s refined mass production, Frank Lloyd Wright’s holistic vision for which a house could not stand on top of a hill but had to be part of it. Zaha Hadid offered us visions of a fluid and free future where divisions have no meaning to exist, while Luis Barragán revealed sacredness through the union of water and color.

The selection criterion considered ease of access, cohesion and unity of the materials collected in one place or entity. For all the others there are many online collections and archives such as that of the CCA, the Internet Archive, US Modernist, or the NAMA, the National Archives of Modern Architecture of Japan, as well as all the archives of architectural journals, one of them all being the Domus Archive. Here below, a guide to the design masters archives that worth a visit. Safe trip.

A guide to discover the historical archives of architecture and design master

Eames Office

“We began by trying to gain an understanding of family behavior and a vocabulary of materials and techniques, correlated through a logical approach to economics and adapted to an industrialized system of mass production. We agreed that the House must make no insistent demands for itself, but rather aid as a background for life in work” – Charles Eames

Founded in 1941 by Charles and Ray Eames, the Eames Office has made significant contributions to the world of design, and today, eighty years later, it communicates, preserves and extends that legacy. After marrying in June 1941, Charles and Ray moved to California without jobs or real prospects. Arriving in Los Angeles, they quickly made friends and began their career with Richard Neutra. Today, the Eames Office continues to promote and build on this legacy, curating exhibitions and working with the Eames Foundation to preserve the Eames House.

Where: Several locations including the Eames House & Foundation, 203 Chautauqua Boulevard, Pacific Palisades, California 90272.

salonemilano, charles ray eames — The Eames House - Ph. The Eames Foundation

Archivio Carlo Scarpa / Museo di Castelvecchio

“If you want to be happy for an hour, get drunk. If you want to be happy for three days, get married. If you want to be happy for a week, kill a pig and give a feast. If you want to be happy all your life, make a garden” – Carlo Scarpa

Between 1958 and 1974, the Castelvecchio Museum was masterfully restored and fitted out by Carlo Scarpa, one of the most important architects and designers of the 20th century. Open to the public, it is possible to visit it and access the Carlo Scarpa Archive inside: it includes historical photographic evidence and technical surveys. The museum tour includes about thirty rooms with works of art and historical objects and the collection of all documentary materials related to the restoration and setting up of the Castelvecchio Museum, including between 1958 and 1974.

Where: Castelvecchio Museum, Corso Castelvecchio 2, Verona.

salonemilano, carlo scarpa — Carlo Scarpa, Castelvecchio, 1958-1974 - Ph. Archivio Carlo Scarpa/Museum of Castelvecchio

Instituto Bardi – Casa de Vidro

“… I never disregard the surrealism of the Brazilian people, their inventions, their pleasure in gathering together, dancing, singing. Therefore I dedicated my work at Pompéia to the youngsters, to the children and to the third age: all together” – Lina Bo Bardi

The archives of Lina Bo and Pietro Maria Bardi witness decades of dedication to culture, architecture, design and the arts, revealing a genuine interest in Brazilian culture and a historical moment in the 20th century. Housed in the Casa de Vidro in São Paulo, which was once their home that has now become a museum, it is divided between Fondo Lina Bo Bardi and Fondo P. M. Bardi. It includes drawings, documents, texts, photographs, films, notes, models, artwork, more than 15,000 photographs and Brazilian folk objects. Accessible by reservation only, the archive also has a library with books on art, architecture, politics, philosophy and other disciplines. Many works have also been made accessible online.

Where: Rua General Almério de Moura, 200, Morumbi, São Paulo.

salonemilano, lina bo bardi — Lina Bo Bardi in front of a glass display during the construction of MASP, 1967 - Ph. Lew Parrella Instituto Bardi – Casa de Vidro

Fondazione Achille Castiglioni

“Experience does not give certainty nor security, but rather increases the possibility of error. I would say it is better to start over each time with humility so that experience does not risk turning into cunning” – Achille Castiglioni

In 2011, Achille Castiglioni’s heirs signed an agreement with the Milan Triennale to open the Achille Castiglioni Studio Museum to the public and maintain his archive. Given its success – visitors to date 2024 are 89,000 – the family created the Achille Castiglioni Foundation in 2014 “to catalogue, sort, archive, and digitize the projects, drawings, photos, models, films, lectures, objects, books, magazines, in short, the whole world within which Achille worked during more than 60 years of activity, first with his brother Pier Giacomo, then since 1968, alone,” as the Foundation declares. The studio, located right in front of Milan’s Castello Sforzesco, is a real gem and can be visited almost every day with guided tours. Every year, the Achille Castiglioni Foundation promotes through temporary exhibitions Castiglioni's design method.

Where: Piazza Castello, 27, Milan.

salonemilano, achille castiglioni — Achille Castiglioni with Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Light Ball, table, ceiling and wall lamp, 1965 - Ph. Fondazione Achille Castiglioni

Frank Lloyd Wright Trust e Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

“Buildings, too, are children of Earth and Sun” – Frank Lloyd Wright

Founded in 1974 and located in Chicago, the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust has evolved over five decades, raising awareness of the great American architect’s legacy through tours, workshops and continuing education. The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, on the other hand, is located in Taliesin, Wright’s home in Wisconsin, and Taliesin West, the architect’s home-workshop located in Arizona and a national landmark. Both of these institutions guide visitors through the hundreds of built and unbuilt projects of one of the most influential architects ever.

Where: The Rookery, 209 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 118, Chicago / Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale, Arizona / Taliesin, 5607 County Road C, Spring Green, Wisconsin.

salonemilano, frank lloyd wright — Taliesin West - Ph. Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Andrew Pielage

Fondazione Aldo Rossi

“I understand architecture in a positive sense, as a creation that is inseparable from civic life and the society in which it manifests itself; it is collective by nature” – Aldo Rossi

Aldo Rossi’s archive, composed by the architect over the years, chronologically collects documentation of every architectural project, from notices to drawings, from models to photographs. The Aldo Rossi Foundation, created in 2005 by his heirs, aims to catalogue and preserve this heritage, including works, drawings, writings and photographs. Under the direction of Germano Celant, the Foundation brings together published and unpublished materials and collaborates with international institutions and design producers to promote and popularize Rossi’s work.

Where: viale Ungheria 24, Milan.

salonemilano, aldo rossi — Teatro Carlo Felice with Ignazio Gardella, Fabio Reinhart and Angelo Sibilla, Genoa, 1983-1989 - Ph. Fondazione Aldo Rossi

Barragan Foundation

“I think that the ideal space must contain elements of magic, serenity, sorcery and mystery” – Luis Barragán

Founded in 1996 in Birsfelden, Switzerland, the Barragan Foundation is a nonprofit institution dedicated to the preservation and study of the Barragán Archive and photographs of Armando Salas Portugal. The archive, sold in 1995 after the closure of the architect’s studio, contains sketches, drawings, models, photographs and magazines, as well as personal items and furniture. In 1997, the Foundation acquired negatives and prints by Salas Portugal, a photographer collaborator with Barragán, whose architectural approach combines Modernism and Mexican tradition.

Where: Kluenenfeldstrasse 20, CH-4127 Birsfelden, Switzerland.

salonemilano, luisa barragan — Luis Barragán, Carmen Orozco House, Guadalajara, 1934 - Ph. Barragan Foundation

Fondazione Franco Albini

“There are no ugly objects, you only need to display them well” – Franco Albini

The Franco Albini Foundation, established in Milan 30 years after the architect’s death, promotes his methodological approach and values. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the Foundation enhances Albini’s work by exploring its contemporary aspects. It has an extensive archival collection with about 22,000 drawings, more than 6,000 historical photos, 2,500 slides and various other materials. Albini (1905-1977) was a visionary architect who redefined modern architecture and firmly believed in the social role of the profession.

Where: via Telesio, 13, Milan.

franco albini, salonemilano — Franco Albini with Ezio Segrelli, Gala Armchair, Bonacina, 1951 - Ph. Fondazione Franco Albini

Zaha Hadid Foundation

“The ultimate ambition was to create fluid space, in every sense, between inside and out, and there is no boundary for people to move from one space to another” – Zaha Hadid

The Zaha Hadid Foundation (ZHF) was founded in 2013 by the renowned Iraqi architect and became fully operational in 2022. The Foundation is dedicated to the preservation, study and exhibition of Zaha’s works, as well as the promotion of research, learning and understanding of contemporary architecture and related arts. After Hadid’s death in 2016, the Foundation appointed Professor Paul Greenhalgh as its inaugural Director in 2021 and formed a team of specialists. Based in London, it manages a collection of about 15,000 works and organizes exhibitions, public events, publications, and grants to support research.

Where: 10 Bowling Green Lane, London.

salonemilano, zaha hadid — Zaha Hadid Architects, London 2066, Vogue Magazine, London, UK, 1991, Acrylic on black cartridge paper - Ph. Zaha Hadid Foundation

Gio Ponti Archives

“It is not concrete, it is not wood, it is not stone, it is not steel, it is not glass that is the most resistant element. The most resistant material in construction is art” – Gio Ponti

The Gio Ponti Archive is based in Gio Ponti’s studio in Milan and serves as a database based on photographic materials from the studio, reordered by his daughter Lisa and expanded by Salvatore Licitra since 1996. The archive administers and augments data on Gio Ponti, integrating information of various kinds to record his figure and work in architecture, design, communication, and art. The goal is to create a complete picture of the master’s activity between 1920 and 1970, a fertile period for art and design in Italy thanks also to Ponti’s work.

Where: via Dezzo 49, Milan.

salonemilano, gio ponti — Gio Ponti - Ph. Gio Ponti Archives

Fondation Le Corbusier

“The home should be the treasure chest of living” – Le Corbusier

The Fondation Le Corbusier, which inherited all of the architect’s estate, has a vast collection of his drawings (8,000), studies and original plans (35,000), as well as 400,000 archival documents, 15,000 photographs and numerous plastic works: paintings, sculptures, engravings, enamels and tapestries. The Foundation also owns four buildings: Le Corbusier’s studio apartment in Paris, the small house on Lake Geneva in Corseaux, Switzerland, and the La Roche and Jeanneret houses (the Foundation’s headquarters). Created in 1968, the Foundation devotes all its resources to the preservation, knowledge and dissemination of Le Corbusier’s work.

Where: several locations to be consulted on the website. The research center is located, by appointment, at Maison Jeanneret, 8 square du Docteur Blanche, Paris.

salonemilano, le corbusier — Le Corbusier, Maison Dom-Ino, sans lieu - Ph. FLC/ADAGP

Fondazione Renzo Piano

“An architect's idea is never just formal. It must be at once social, scientific and poetic” – Renzo Piano

In Japan, according to the Shinto tradition, every 20 years the Ise temple is demolished and rebuilt identically to pass on building skills. Three generations collaborate: the 60-year-olds teach, the 40-year-olds build, and the 20-year-olds observe. Attending one of these ceremonies in 1996, Renzo Piano decided to pass on his experience to young people. Thus, in 2004, he founded the Renzo Piano Foundation, a nonprofit institution dedicated to promoting architecture. The Foundation’s activities focus on preserving and enhancing archives, training young people and spreading architecture as the technique and art of building.

Where: via P.P. Rubens 30/A, Genoa.

salonemilano, renzo piano — Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Intesa Sanpaolo office building, Turin, 2015 - Ph. Fondazione Renzo Piano

Alvar Aaalto Foundation

“The ultimate goal of the architect...is to create a paradise. Every house, every product of architecture... should be a fruit of our endeavour to build an earthly paradise for people” – Alvar Aalto

The Alvar Aalto Foundation preserves the legacy of the celebrated Finnish architect and designer and promotes awareness of his work. The venues in Helsinki and Jyväskylä are meeting points for architecture and design enthusiasts. The Alvar Aalto Museum, part of the Aalto2 Museum Center in Jyväskylä, offers guided tours of the Aalto House, the Aalto Studio, and the Muuratsalo Experimental House. The Foundation oversees the Alvar Aalto Academy and the Department of Architectural Heritage, promoting education, research and events. The museum’s collections form the basis for exhibitions and publications.

Where: Various locations including the Alvar Aalto Museum, Alvar Aallon katu 7, FI-40600 Jyväskylä (Finland).

Archivio Gae Aulenti

“I think of architecture as a technical possibility of filtering light, of dimming it.”

Founded in 2012 by her heirs, the Gae Aulenti Archive collects more than 700 of the architect’s projects, including architecture, urban planning, design, museum layouts and set design. It is housed in her home-studio in Brera, Milan, designed by Aulenti in the 1970s. Preserved materials include drawings, videos, photographs and documents that testify Aulenti’s extensive contributions and reflect her interdisciplinary approach between art, architecture and design. Born in 1927 in Palazzolo dello Stella, Udine, Italy, Gae Aulenti trained between Florence and Turin during the war. Moving to Milan, she graduated from the Politecnico in 1953 and developed her career in architecture, interior and industrial design, and set design after an experience in the editorial staff of Casabella-Continuità directed by Ernesto Rogers. Her works include the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, the National Museum of Catalan Art in Barcelona, the renovation of Palazzo Grassi in Venice, the Pipistrello lamp for Martinelli Luce, and the Table with Wheels for FontanaArte.

Where: Via Fiori Oscuri 3, Milan.

salonemilano, gae aulenti — Gae Aulenti, Parigi, Musée d'Orsay - Ph. Wikimedia Commons

Archivio Vico Magistretti

"Design is a conceptual process that can be communicated by telephone."

Founded in 2010, the Vico Magistretti Studio Museum Foundation preserves the historical archive of the famous Milanese architect and designer. It is housed in the Milan studio where Magistretti worked throughout his life. The archive documents his activity from 1946 to 2006 and includes sketches, technical drawings, photographs and correspondence. Declared of particular historical value by the Lombardy Archival Superintendency, the archive reflects his working method and collaborations with companies.

Where: online and in Via Vincenzo Bellini, 1, Milan