Mario Asnago | Claudio Vender

Mario Asnago and Claudio Vender both earned their architecture degrees in 1922 at the former Regio Istituto di Belle Arti [now Academy of Fine Arts] in Bologna. Their first joint projects were designs for building competitions, including the Como War Memorial. In 1928, after obtaining their license to practice architecture, they opened the Asnago-Vender Architecture Studio. Their primary focus was on urban architecture (schools, homes, churches). Outstanding among their interior design objects are the tables and chairs with the characteristic X-shaped support. The slender structure reflects the architectural philosophy of the two designers – broad surfaces alternate with open spaces that mark the subtle presence of the material, which does not take away from its lightness but is only part of the rigid uniformity of their interiors. In 1971, after Asnago retired, Vender continued the business with his son Mario and Mario Moganti.