Carlo Santi & Vittorio Borachia

Italian architect-designers Carlo Santi (1923–2003) and Vittorio Borachia were vital protagonists of post-war Milanese rationalism. Meeting at the Politecnico di Milano during the late 1940s, the duo merged rigorous architectural planning with the industrial logic of emerging plastics and metals. The pair achieved lasting design acclaim through their historic collaboration with lighting pioneer Arteluce, founded by Gino Sarfatti. Their crowning triumph is the SB Cinquantotto (Model 2097-adjacent, 1958) luminaire, reissued today by Astep. Conceived as a kinetic, modular ceiling fixture, it pairs industrial chrome and painted aluminum arms with refined counterbalances, allowing users to redirect illumination effortlessly. They also designed influential contract seating for Sormani.