Italian-born, New York-based architect Gaetano Pesce (La Spezia, Italy - 1939) studied architecture at the University of Venice between 1958 and 1963 and participated in Gruppo N, an early collective dedicated to programmed art on the model of the Bauhaus, he is considered a design pioneer of the 20th century. Spanning more than half a century, his professional career has ranged from teaching architecture at renowned universities to public and private projects, around the world, mixing different disciplines, while always maintaining the basic principle: that modernism is less a style than a method for interpreting the present and hinting at a future in which individuality is preserved and celebrated.

Awarded with the prestigious Chrysler Award for Innovation and Design in 1993, among many others, Pesce's multidisciplinary work defies description, furniture fraught with a deeper meaning, they are included in more than 30 permanent collections of the world's leading museums. Every Pesce project is a brave experiment, he values humanity and expression over perfection. His approach to design has marked its history and his works have been celebrated in exhibitions of extraordinary importance. His continuous research in the field of advanced materials, languages and technology has resulted in iconic productions such as the Organic Building in Osaka in 1993 and his Up5 chair.