Italo Rota was born in Milan in 1953 and studied architecture at the Milan Polytechnic. He collaborated with the E. Albini e Gregotti Associati studio, and from 1976 to 1981 worked on the editorial staff of the periodical "Lotus international". In 1979 he curated and designed an exhibit devoted to "Instruments of design " at the XVI Triennale di Milano. In 1980 he collaborated with Aulenti and Castiglioni on the designs that won the contest for Interior Design held by the Musée d'Orsay and he remained in Paris until 1985 to oversee its realization. After some collaborations with the world of cinema, notably with the directorBernard Sobel for the sets of theater performances in Paris and Berlin, he directed the installation of two exhibits at the Pompidou Center, "L'lmage des Mots" and "Créer dans le Créé". From '91 to '96 he designed and realized the architectural restructuring of the Casa Italiana at Columbia University, in New York. From 1992 to 1993 he collaborated with the Italian Cultural Institute in Paris, directed by P. Fabbri, designing the restoration of its headquarters and curating the installation of temporary exhibits. In 1995 he returned to Italy and, in collaboration with the Bologna-based Barozzi e Mandadori studio, produced projects for San Donato Milanese, Sasso Marconi and Budrio. In 1996 he participated in the XIX Triennale di Milano with an installation on his work at the Italian pavilion. His most recent works include the designs for the enhancement of the Roman amphitheater in Spoleto, the transformation of the urban area of the Cremona railway station and the transformation and expansion of the Riva del Garda conference center. In 2006 he received honorable mention for the Italian Gold Medal for Architecture.