Brionvega. Design & designers: the story of an Italian icon on display

From September 26 to December 24, 2026, the Sala delle Colonne inside the Valserena Abbey, home of the CSAC – Study Center and Communication Archive of the University of Parma, hosts Brionvega. Design & designers, an exhibition dedicated to the history of Brionvega and the company’s relationship with some of the most important figures in Italian design.

Curated by Francesca De Zotti and Margherita Monica, the exhibition explores, through objects and their creators, a journey starting from the late 1950s and spanning decades of research, innovation, and project development, showcasing how Brionvega helped transform radios and televisions into true design icons.

The exhibition path features over one hundred original works, including objects, prototypes, drawings, sketches, advertisements, and photographs, selected from the more than 8,000 materials comprising the Brionvega Archive held at CSAC. Donated by Ennio Brion to the University of Parma in 1989 and later enriched by the donation of collector Andrea Rosetti, the collection stands as a unique testament to the company’s design evolution.

Objects: Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
RR126 fo/st stereophonic radiofonografo; RR 128 radio; TS 503 radio (with Livio Castiglioni)

The narrative unfolds through a dual perspective, chronological and author-focused, linking technological and consumer evolution with the contributions of the designers who collaborated with Brionvega. Among the items on display are materials from the archives of Mario Bellini, Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, Giancarlo Iliprandi, Bob Noorda, and Sottsass Associati.

Among the iconic objects featured in the exhibition, the rr126 fo-st radiofonografo, designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni in 1965, demonstrates how technology, function, and design culture found an original synthesis at Brionvega.

The itinerary also highlights the production of the 1980s and the collaboration with Ettore Sottsass Jr. and Sottsass Associati, culminating in the creation of the 1980 TVC Memphis I 26″, produced as a unique piece, much like an art multiple, and in a limited edition of 100 pieces.

Brionvega. Design & designers: the story of an Italian icon on display

Objects: Marco Zanuso and Richard Sapper
Gomma TV, Black st 201 TV, FD 1102 cable radio system, RR127 radio, Doney 12″ TV.
Wall: Bob Noorda – Layout studies for the Zanuso company catalog.

A journey that tells not only the story of a company, but also a way of conceiving design: capable of uniting technological innovation, formal research, and culture.

In 1970, this vision earned Brionvega the Compasso d’Oro, an award granted for the high quality of its production and its commitment to collaborating with the finest Italian designer.

Brionvega. Design & designers: the story of an Italian icon on display

Objects: Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni
FD1101 cable radio system
Wall: Aldo Ballo – FD1101 cable radio system