>> Firstly, my heart goes out to all Italians who are suffering unimaginable trauma at this time due to the Covid19 pandemic. In this episode of Modern Furniture Design we celebrate Italian Design and seek to uncover what makes Italy a powerhouse in the world of design with Berto Pandolfo. A former industrial designer for iconic lighting design manufacturer Flos and now Senior Lecturer in Product Design at UTS, Berto is a veteran of the Milan Furniture Fair AKA il Salone Del Mobile. As well as walking us through the event both in the past and into today, I ask Berto about the origins of Il Salone and we examine the driving forces behind the strength of postwar Italian Design and manufacturing. From Achille Castiglioni to Zanotta, I hope you enjoy this episode recorded in early January 2020.