Screen – Servento
Manufactured by Zanotta
Italy, 1986
Tubular painted metal and white textile

Measurements
214 x 20 x 178h cm
84,3 x 7,9 x 70,1h in

Provenance
Zanotta, Nova Milanese

About
The Servento screen, designed by Achille Castiglioni in 1986 for Zanotta, exemplifies the designer’s functional wit and sculptural sensibility. Composed of a lightweight tubular metal frame and taut white textile panels, the screen balances utilitarian transparency with strong architectural presence.
Its geometric simplicity is deceptive—Castiglioni’s approach always centered on performance and context. The folding structure offers flexibility in use, adapting easily to different spatial needs while maintaining a visual coherence that aligns with the Italian radical design movement of the 1980s. Servento reflects Castiglioni’s consistent pursuit of “design with reason,” where clarity of structure enhances the relationship between object and user.

Biography
Achille Castiglioni (1918–2002) was a pioneering Italian architect and designer whose inventive works helped define postwar Italian design. With a career spanning over five decades, he collaborated with his brothers Livio and Pier Giacomo and created iconic pieces for brands like Flos, Zanotta, and Alessi. His work is characterized by a unique blend of humor, practicality, and formal clarity. Castiglioni received nine Compasso d’Oro awards and is considered one of the most influential figures in 20th-century industrial design. His objects are part of major design collections, including MoMA and the Triennale di Milano.