James e Marialaura Irvine
Olivari Designers
London, 1958-2013
After receiving his diploma in furniture design at London’s Royal College of Art, James Irvine moves to Milan in 1984 as a consultant for Olivetti and Toshiba under the direction of Michele De Lucchi and Ettore Sottsass. In 1993, he becomes a partner at the Sottsass Associati firm, and opens an independent studio in 1998.
Alongside projects for the most prestigious furniture and lighting companies – Alias, Artemide, B&B, Coro, Foscarini, Magis, MDF, Thonet, Zumtobel – he keeps alive his interest in product design, collaborating with Canon, LG, Muji and Whirlpool. In 1999 he designed the Mercedes-Benz buses for the city of Hanover.
— Centanni sgabello, Discipline 2012
— Design Dance, 2007
He taught at the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Karlsruhe and was awarded an honorary doctorate in design by Kingston University.
— Open Chair, chair, Alias 2007
