Architect and designer Osvaldo Borsani was one of the central figures of post-war Italian design. Born into a family of furniture makers, he began working at a young age in the Atelier di Varedo and graduated in Architecture from the Politecnico di Milano in 1936. In 1933 he presented the Casa Minima at the 5th Milan Triennale, where it was awarded a silver medal.
In 1953 he founded Tecno with his brother Fulgenzio, helping shift production from bespoke craftsmanship towards industrial design. Among his best-known designs is the D70 sofa. He also collaborated with artists including Lucio Fontana, Fausto Melotti and Arnaldo Pomodoro. His work is held in major international museum collections, including MoMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Centre Pompidou.