018. Lella Vignelli and Giorgia Lupi: Designing for Humanity

This dual feature episode highlights both Lella Vignelli and Giorgia Lupi and their focus on human connection through design. Lella Vignelli's multi-hyphenate modernist design, along with Giorgia Lupi’s innovative approach to data visualization.

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Sources:

• Designed by: Lella Vignelli by Massimo Vignelli (Rochester Institute of Technology)

About Lella

You’ve likely heard of Massimo Vignelli, the renowned designer behind iconic works like the New York City Subway map, but did you know that behind many of those projects was an equally brilliant mind? Lella Vignelli—Massimo’s wife and design partner—was a powerhouse in her own right. With a background in architecture, she seamlessly blended elegance and functionality in everything from interior spaces to product design. Her meticulous attention to detail was the driving force behind many of their best-known works, including the timeless Handkerchief Chair and the stunning interiors of Saint Peter’s Church in New York.

Lella was more than just Massimo’s collaborator—she was a visionary who believed in creating design that was truly timeless, free of trends and fads. Yet, despite her immense contributions, Lella’s name often remained in the background. So, why is her story so often overshadowed? And how did she quietly reshape modern design?

Tune in to this episode to hear the incredible legacy of Lella Vignelli—a designer whose work deserves to be front and center.

About Giorgia

Giorgia's Books:
This is Me and Only Me
Observe Collect Draw!: A Visual Journal
Dear Data: A Friendship in 52 Weeks of Postcards

Giorgia Lupi is an Italian information designer, a partner at design firm Pentagram, and co-founder of research and design firm Accurat. She is a co-author of Dear Data, a collection of hand drawn data visualizations, along with information designer Stefanie Posavec. Her work is also part of the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art.

In 2011, Lupi co-founded research and design firm Accurat, that combines design and data to create data visualizations, interfaces, and tools. Among their clients are Google, IBM, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Starbucks, United Nations, the World Economic Forum and the Museum of Modern Art. Lupi's influences for her work come from fascinations by geometrical feel and balance of abstract art compositions.

Follow Giorgia Lupi on Instagram: @giorgialupi
Giorgia Lupi's Website: giorgialupi.com

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