Miguel Milá

Born in the city of Barcelona in 1931, Miguel Milá Sagnier is considered to be one of the fathers of Spanish industrial design and a member of the generation of pioneering designers in the 50's.

Mila, who started working as an interior designer in his brother's architecture studio, has played a fundamental role in the history of modern design in our country. In 1987, his contribution was acknowledged when he was awarded with the first edition of the National Design Award for his life’s work. In 2008, he received the Compasso D’Oro in recognition of his professional career and his contribution to the dissemination of Spanish design abroad.

Among the milestones achieved by Mila are the 1962 Cesta lamp, composed of a structure made of cherry wood that contains a light globe of white opaline glass. The dimensions of the Cesta are 33 cm and 57 cm high with the handle extended. The Cesta lamp is nothing less than an icon thanks to its simplicity. It sold very well for many years. At the Euroluce 2017 exhibition. Santa & Cole presented the Cestita Battery lamp, a new rechargeable wireless version of Cestita, for those who really love detail.

Miguel Milá has carried out many other works of interior design, as well as for our streets, such as the Neoromantic Bench, a global bestseller of contemporary urbanism that is composed of ergonomically designed cast aluminium legs, and sectional wooden slats with both curved and straight sections and variable lengths. Two or more structures hold seven slats arranged in an aligned manner to generate a gentle, solid and very comfortable bench.

In 2014, Harpo was also introduced. It was conceived to occupy just one tenth of the volume required by other benches of its size. Miguel and Gonzalo Milá, father and son, undertook the difficult task of drawing a bench for the international marketplace of the 21st century, the first global urban bench, as it has been called.

For all those who are currently lucky enough to be in Barcelona and would like to discover in person the works of Miguel Milá, all they have to do is take a walk along the centrally-located Passeig de Gràcia, where, in the recent redevelopment of this important commercial avenue, the sidewalks have been widened and the benches have been replaced by Miguel Milá’s Neoromantic Liviano model to improve new urban spaces in a city as cosmopolitan as Barcelona. 

Web: http://miguelmila.com
Documental: https://vimeo.com/205066962