Born in Milan in 1916 and graduated as an architect in 1939, he has been active since 1945 in design, architecture and urban planning. From 1947 to 1949 he is editor-in-chief of Domus magazine and in the 1950s he is editor of the magazine Casabella. In 1947 he began designing metal furniture, reinterpreting the tradition of Rationalism. Since then, he has been focusing on the problem of the relationship between architect and industry, between project and experimentation, product features and new responses in shapes and materials. In 1954 he participated in the foundation of ADI and the creation of the Compasso d'Oro award, giving a fundamental contribution to the Triennale of Milan and the planning of the city itself. At the same time, it produces a production of amazing qualitative and quantitative items, with an increasing international affiliation. He received countless awards, from many Golden Compass prizes, to his various pieces in the design collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Since 1979 he has been a holder of the Chair of Design for the Industry at the Faculty of Architecture of the Politecnico di Milano. Marco Zanuso has collaborated with Zanotta since 1969. He disappeared in July 2001.