Spanish by birth, Patricia Urquiola currently works and lives in Milan, Italy. She attended architecture and design at the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid and Politecnico di Milano where she graduated in 1989 with Achille Castiglioni. After finishing her studies, Patricia worked as assistant lecturer to Achile Castiglioni and Eugenio Bettinelli in Milan and Paris. For several years, she was responsible for the new product development office of Depadova, working with Vico Magistretti and in 1996 Patricia Urquiola becomes the head of Lissoni Associati’s design group. In 2001, Patricia opens her own studio working on architecture, product design, installations, art direction and strategy consulting.
Patricia Urquiola creates every project, every space and object in close relation to people. She constantly experiments and overcomes the limits of design: ,,I always think that the project I'm working on will be the best’’. Creating bridges between tradition and innovation, between craftmanship and industrial research, Patricia Urquiola won numerous international awards for her unique work, such as Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes awarded by the Spanish Government; Order of Isabella the Catholic, awarded by His Majesty The King of Spain Juan Carlos I; “Designer of the Year” for Wallpaper, Ad Spain, Elle Decor International and Architektur und Wohnen Magazine.
Patricia Urquiola has been the Creative Director of Cassina since 2015 and works with important Italian and international design companies: Kartell, Driade, Flos, Louis Vuitton, Moroso, Kvadrat and many more. Her works are exhibited in art and design museums all over the world.