Gaetano Pesce Foundation established to preserve architect's legacy
Nonprofit to safeguard archives and continue experimental design approach
1Foundation's mission
The Gaetano Pesce Foundation aims to preserve the archive of the late Italian architect (1939-2024), including objects, drawings, prototypes, and documentation. It will support exhibitions, publications, and authorized editions while continuing Pesce's boundary-crossing approach that blended art, design, and social commentary. The foundation explicitly rejects strict categorization as part of its core philosophy.
2Leadership structure
Director Giulia Tosciri worked closely with Pesce for years, managing complex operations. President Glenn Adamson, a design historian and Pesce's friend, oversees academic direction. Secretary Michael Greenberg brings legal expertise from managing Pesce's estate. Treasurer Edward Secker handles finances, while Alessandro Byther continues as creative director of Pesce's original Brooklyn workshop alongside foundation duties.
3Experimental design legacy
Pesce's work deliberately blurred boundaries between disciplines, with projects functioning as vehicles for experimentation. His famous UP chair (1969) demonstrated this approach. Adamson notes Pesce considered freedom to mean inconsistency - a philosophy captured in his statement: 'To be free means to be incoherent.' This mindset informed projects from the Organic Building in Osaka to the Tramonto a New York sofa.
4Archive contents
The foundation will preserve Pesce's extensive archive, including concept designs like Pescetrullo (2008), exhibition works such as Nice to See You at Biblioteca Ambrosiana, and architectural projects like Bahia House (1998). It also maintains production records from his Brooklyn Navy Yard studio, where handcrafted pieces were made under Byther's supervision for over a decade.
5Institutional partnerships
The foundation announced its launch alongside the Gaetano Pesce Studio: Continued exhibition at Salon 94. Adamson emphasized plans for academic collaborations and institutional partnerships that will facilitate research and educational initiatives. These relationships aim to contextualize Pesce's work within broader design history while supporting new scholarship.
6Authorized productions
A key function involves overseeing authorized editions of Pesce's works, ensuring quality and authenticity. Byther continues directing production at the original studio, maintaining handcrafted techniques Pesce employed. This bridges past and future, allowing new generations to experience his designs while preserving their handmade character.
7Visual identity
Designer Matthew Bannister created the foundation's visual identity, extending Pesce's distinctive aesthetic into its branding. This continuity reflects in the foundation's digital presence, including its Instagram announcement where Adamson described Pesce as a 'radical, poet, and provocateur' who shaped 20th century design.
8Lasting influence
By preserving both physical artifacts and philosophical approaches, the foundation ensures Pesce's unconventional methodology remains accessible. His resistance to categorization and embrace of inconsistency as creative freedom continue challenging design norms. The foundation institutionalizes this disruptive legacy while supporting new interpretations through research and authorized productions.