Architect, urban planner, and designer, Luigi Caccia Dominioni was born in Milan in 1913. After completing his classical studies, he enrolled in the Faculty of Architecture at the Polytechnic University of Milan, graduating in 1936. During his studies, he met Livio and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, the older brothers of Achille Castiglioni, with whom he later founded a studio shortly after graduating. Among the various works he completed during those years, he also began a career in product design: in 1940, he designed a five-valve radio in Bakelite for Phonola with the Castiglioni brothers, which was presented at the 7th Milan Triennale. After a brief period in Switzerland, where he had to relocate due to his refusal to join the Republic of Salò, Caccia Dominioni returned to Italy in 1945 to resume his work. In 1947, together with Ignazio Gardella and Corrado Corradi dell’Acqua, he founded the furniture company Azucena (which has been part of the B&B Italia group since 2018), with the aim of producing the furniture they had designed.

As a Milanese architect, he left a profound mark on his city, from which he never strayed far (also because he didn’t like flying). He helped shape the city of Milan during the postwar reconstruction, designing many buildings, including: the building in Piazza Sant’Ambrogio; the palace on Corso Italia; the residential complex in the San Felice district, in collaboration with Vico Magistretti; the redesign of Piazza San Babila; and many others. In the field of product design, Luigi Caccia Dominioni left behind many pieces of furniture and accessories, some still in production, others now iconic designs exhibited in the most prestigious museums. For the Azucena brand, he designed the Monachella lamp in 1953; the famous Catilina armchair in 1958, later reinterpreted in various versions; the Casaccia cabinet in 1962; and the Toro sofa and armchair in 1973. His Caccia flatware is now reissued and sold by Alessi, while the San Babila handle, designed for the Olivari brand, is still a bestseller. In 2015, Luigi Caccia Dominioni was awarded the Gold Medal for Career Achievement by the Triennale di Milano. He passed away in 2016, at the age of 102.