Gae Aulenti

Gae Aulenti (born Gaetana Aulenti; December 4, 1927 – November 1, 2012) was an Italian architect, lighting and interior designer, and industrial designer. She was well known for several large-scale museum projects, including Musée d'Orsay in Paris (1980–86), the Contemporary Art Gallery at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Palazzo Grassi in Venice (1985–86), and the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (2000–2003). Gae was one of the few women designing in the postwar period in Italy, and created many elegant pieces.

Aulenti worked in the post-war period of Italy while creating pieces that spanned across a wide variety of styles and influences. She did however always want the focus of the room to be the occupants, she believed the people make the room a room and to not overpower. She had a modest style, Vogue has her saying "advice to whoever asks me how to make a home is to not have anything, just a few shelves for books, some pillows to sit on. And then, to take a stand against the ephemeral, against passing trends...and to return to lasting values."