Isao Hosoe & Ann Marinelli Biography
Isao Hosoe and Ann Marinelli designed the Haru furniture series together for Arflex in 1985. The series is made up of different elements: pouf, armchair and linear sofas of different lengths, with both high and low backrests, wide armchair, vis-à sofa -vis and “gym” seat. The series is completed by two newly designed, flexible and articulated low tables.
Ann Marinelli's multicultural experience includes more than 30 years in the design field as an Interior Architect and Space Planner, Furniture and Industrial Designer, university professor and design journalist. He has worked as a consultant and Design Manager for several international manufacturing companies and has lived in the United States and Europe, working with commercial clients around the world. Ann's passion for finishes and colors led her to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design and subsequently a Masters in Industrial Design and Design Management from the Domus Academy in Italy. He also holds a Master's degree in Museum Studies from Johns Hopkins University. Working as a design journalist, Ann reported on trends in the world of design while traveling through Europe, the Far East and the United States. He has lived and worked in Milan, Italy for more than 25 years, has dual U.S. and Italian citizenship, and speaks fluent Italian. Ann's fascination with design and the human interface led her to co-write Playoffice, about the workplace, human behavior and relationships. He has also written books on cooking, with recipes from all over the world. A specialist in residential, office, commercial and hospitality interiors, she has worked with international office furniture manufacturers as a product designer, project coordinator and consultant. Ann has designed for respected companies such as Cassina, Steelcase and Herman Miller.
Designer Isao Hosoe was born in Tokyo in 1942. In 1965 he designed his first pedal airplane as a project for his degree in Aerospace Engineering at Nihon University in Tokyo, followed by his Masters. He arrived in Italy in 1967 and began his design experience with the architect Alberto Rosselli of the Ponti-Fornaroli-Rosselli Studio. After some professional experiences in 1985 he founded Isao Hosoe Design. To date he has won numerous international awards with his projects in the fields of transportation, office furniture, product design, telecommunications, electronics and home furnishings. He has numerous personal and collective exhibitions to his credit both in Italy and abroad. He has been a professor of Design at the Polytechnic of Milan, at the Domus Academy, at the ISIA in Florence, at the University of Siena, at the Institute of Design in Cagliari (Sardinia) and visiting professor abroad.
