Maria Cristina Mariani Dameno, known as Cini Boeri, (born 19. June 1924, Milan) is an Italian architect and designer. Boeri earned her degree at the Politecnico di Milano university in 1951. At that time, there were more female interior designers than architects because it was thought that women were too fragile to work outside. After collaborating with Marco Zanuso from 1951 through 1963, she started an independent architectural practice. Her main focuses in architecture were civil and interior architecture, as well as industrial design.
Sofas and Chairs Design
In the 1970s, Boeri began designing showrooms for Knoll in Europe and America. She also designed a variety of sofas and chairs for the company, some of which are still in production today. In addition, she worked for a variety of other design companies, including lighting company Artemide, furniture company Arflex, and the housewares company Rosenthal.
Architecture
She has designed single family homes, apartments, exhibition displays, offices, shops both in Italy and abroad, paying particular attention to the functional aspects of the spaces and the psychological relationship between man and his environment. With regard to industrial design she has been particularly involved in design furnishing elements and construction components. A number of products designed by her are featured in museums and international exhibition spaces.
Teaching
She has held conferences and lessons in various Universities and institutions both in Italy and abroad, at Berkeley, Barcelona, at the Nucleo del Deseno Industrial of Sao Paolo, at the Architectural College of Rio de Janeiro, at the Cranbrook School in Detroit, at the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Vico Marcote (CH), at the UCLA Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles.
During the years '81-'83 she held courses in "architectural design" and "industrial and interior design" within the Architectural Department of Milan Polytechnic. She was on the Board of Directors of the XVI Milan Triennale. In 1986 she took part in the exhibition "Domestic Project" on display during the XVII Milan Triennale.
