米蘭三年展設計博物館(Triennale di Milano)展出的這檔展覽以義大利傳奇女性建築師、設計師 Gae Aulenti (1927–2021)為主角，全面回顧她在建築、室內設計、展場、工業設計、舞台設計等領域的創作生涯，內容豐富、形式多樣，展現她跨越時代的創造力。

Gae Aulenti是打破框架的義大利建築女性先鋒，出生於義大利東北部，1953 年畢業於米蘭理工大學建築系 (學姊好!)，是當時少數進入建築業界的女性之一。她活躍於義大利戰後現代建築浪潮之中，與男建築師主導的時代抗衡(在那個時代肯定更加不容易)，發展出具有獨特美學與實驗精神的建築語言。

她以「不屈服於現成風格與潮流」聞名，強調空間詩意、歷史深度與使用者經驗。她的建築常結合舊有結構與當代表現，強烈主張「改造」而非「破壞」。

而她的代表作品包括：

• 奧賽美術館(Musée d’Orsay) 改造計畫｜巴黎
• 義大利國家美術館(Palazzo Grassi)改造｜威尼斯
• 亞洲藝術博物館｜舊金山
• Fiat 蘇黎世車展場設計｜1973 年經典案例 (創新地板傾斜設計營造車輛動感)

整場展覽不只是靜態觀賞，而是一場身歷其境的建築與設計時光旅行。不但完整復刻多個展場與空間設計現場，讓我們可以親身走入她的設計語境之中。還展示了工業設計、傢俱作品，從燈具、椅子到大型裝置都有。此外還有，珍貴手稿、日記、草圖、雜誌封面、舞台設計圖，呈現她 60 年創作歷程的每一筆靈感！

走出展場，腦中仍迴盪著 Aulenti 的種種，「能活得像她一樣精彩就好了！」我腦袋裡一直冒出這句話…花兩小時沉浸在她一生的火花裡，不只令人欽佩，更讓人充滿動力「我想要活得更有力、更自由、更創造！」

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Gae Aulenti Retrospective: Stepping into the Design Universe of Italy’s Legendary Female Architect

At the Triennale di Milano – Museum of Italian Design, this rich and multifaceted retrospective celebrates the life and work of Gae Aulenti (1927–2021), a legendary Italian architect and designer. The exhibition offers a comprehensive look at her extraordinary career across architecture, interior design, exhibition curation, industrial design, and stage design—showcasing her timeless creativity and cross-disciplinary brilliance.

Gae Aulenti was a trailblazing female architect who defied conventions in a male-dominated field. Born in northeastern Italy, she graduated from the School of Architecture at Politecnico di Milano in 1953. At a time when few women entered the architectural profession, Aulenti emerged as a powerful voice in the postwar Italian modernist movement, forging a unique design language defined by aesthetic boldness and experimental spirit.

She was known for resisting ready-made styles and fleeting trends, instead embracing poetic spatiality, historical depth, and human-centered experience. Her work often merged historic structures with contemporary interventions, firmly advocating for transformation over demolition.

Among her most iconic projects are:

• The Musée d’Orsay renovation in Paris (1980–1986)
• The Palazzo Grassi restoration in Venice
• The Asian Art Museum in San Francisco
• The 1973 Fiat showroom in Zurich, featuring an innovative tilted floor to evoke vehicular motion

But this exhibition is far from a static display—it’s an immersive journey through time, space, and design. Several of Aulenti’s spatial and exhibition designs have been meticulously reconstructed, allowing visitors to step directly into her design vocabulary. The show also features her industrial and furniture designs—from lighting fixtures and chairs to large-scale installations.

In addition, visitors can explore rare manuscripts, diaries, sketches, magazine covers, and stage design drawings—a treasure trove chronicling six decades of creative genius and relentless curiosity.

As I left the exhibition, one thought kept echoing in my mind: “If only I could live as boldly and brilliantly as she did.” Two hours immersed in her lifetime of sparks—deeply inspiring, truly energizing. It made me want to live more powerfully, more freely, and more creatively.