Franca Helg

Franca Helg
Born	(1920-02-21)21 February 1920 Milan
Died	4 June 1989(1989-06-04) (aged 69) Milan
Nationality	Italian
Alma mater	Polytechnic University of Milan
Occupation	Architect
Practice	Polytechnic University of Milan

Franca Helg (21 February 1920 – 4 June 1989) was an Italian designer and architect. She also had a career teaching at Istituto Universitario Architettura Venezia and Polytechnic of Milan.[1] She collaborated with Franco Albini from 1945 through 1977.

Biography

Graduated from the Politecnico di Milano in 1945, Franca Helg was active both in the field of architectural planning and in industrial design, with important project interventions often in collaboration with Franco Albini, with whom she was for long associated professionally, from 1951 until the death of Albini in 1977.[2][3] Subsequent to which she worked with Marco Albini and Antonio Piva.[3]

After having been assistant to the seat of architectural composition held by Lodovico Barbiano di Belgiojoso first at the Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (Iuav) and then at then at the Politecnico di Milano, there followed associate teaching in 1967, teaching the same discipline, in which she became tenured in 1984.[2][4]

Among her works, the Roman stores La Rinascente, in Piazza Fiume, the Terme Luigi Zoja of Salsomaggiore, the Museo degli Eremitani in Padova.[2]

Awards

Helg and Albini at 1964 Compasso d'Oro award ceremony

• 1964 Compasso d'Oro: Awarded to Franco Albini, Bob Noorda, and Franca Helg for the signage, graphic design, and interior design of the Milan underground.[5]

Works

• designed furniture and houseware for Poggi, Bonacina, and San Lorenzo[1]
• (with Franco Albini)

  

  The neighborhood of Piccapietra in Genova projected by the architects Franco Albini and Franca Helg portrayed by the Italian photographer Paolo Monti

  • Restoration of the Burial Monument of Margherita di Lussemburgo
  • Design of the interiors of the Museo del Tesoro della Cattedrale di San Lorenzo
  • Furnishings of the Metropolitana di Milano (Compasso d'oro prize 1964[2])
  • Olivetti store in Paris
  • The neighborhood of Piccapietra in Genova
  • Completion of the Museo di Sant'Agostino, annexed to the Chiesa di Sant'Agostino in Genova (1956-1986)[3]
  • Casa Zambelli in Forlì
  • Palazzo La Rinascente a Roma (regional prize IN/ARCH for Lazio 1963[6])
• Molino Dorino station of the Metropolitana di Milano (1980-1985)[3]
• Museo degli Eremitani in the convent complex annexed to the church by the same name[2] (1982-1985)[3]
• designed furniture with and without Franco Albini

References

1. 100 Works in 100 Years European Women In Architecture and Design 1918-2018. France Stele Institute of Art History ZRC SAZU. ISBN 9789612549220.
2. Franca Helg, from Scienza A Due Voci, women in Italian science from the Settecento to the Novecento (Università di Bologna)
3. Helg (hèlġ), Franca, Enciclopedie on line, from the site of the Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani
4. "Franca Helg 1920-1989". UN DIA UNA ARQUITECTA.
5. admin (23 March 2022). "10 famosi oggetti politecnici da Compasso d'Oro". Alumni (in Italian). Retrieved 17 September 2022.
6. L'architettura.

External links

• Helg (hèlġ), Franca, Enciclopedie on line, from the site of the Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani (in Italian)
• Franca Helg, da Scienza A Due Voci, women in Italian science from the Settecento to the Novecento (Università di Bologna) (in Italian)
• Kesman, Cecilia. "Franca Helg 1920-1989". Un día / una arquitecta. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
• "Metropolitan (a) design Urban and social architecture travels on the red line".
• "I maestri Franco Albini Como/Milano, 1905/1977".