Giovanni Klaus Koenig

Giovanni Klaus Koenig (22 November 1924 – 9 December 1989) was an Italian architect, designer, academic, and architectural theorist known for his influential writings on architecture and design.

Life Koenig was born in Turin in 1924 and later moved to Florence, where he studied architecture, graduating from the University of Florence in 1950. He began teaching soon after, becoming a professor of architectural history and theory, and later teaching courses on modern architecture and design. Koenig co-founded the Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche (ISIA) in Florence in 1975 and contributed to influential architecture magazines such as Casabella and Parametro. He died in Florence in 1989.

Selected works School in San Marcello Pistoiese (1956) Valdese Church in Genoa (1960) Italgas employee housing, Florence (1961) Valdese Church in Ivrea (1965) Valdese Church in San Secondo di Pinerolo (1956) Jumbo Tram for Milan (transport design) Electromotive units for the Rome Metro and commuter trains for Ferrovie delle Stato and Ferrovie Nord Milano (transport design)

Selected writings L'invecchiamento dell'architettura moderna (1963) Analisi del linguaggio architettonico (1964) Industrial design, pop art e popular design (1967) Architettura in Toscana 1931-1968 (1968) Architettura e comunicazione (1970) Oltre il Pendolino. Alta velocità e assetto variabile negli elettrotreni italiani (1986) Il design è un pipistrello mezzo topo e mezzo uccello (1995) Architettura del Novecento: teoria, storia, pratica, critica (1995)