Cini Boeri: The Architect Behind Blade Runner's Whisky Glasses

Cini Boeri (1924–2020) was a pioneering Italian architect and designer who defied gender barriers in mid-20th-century Italy. Born Maria Cristina Mariani in Milan, she studied architecture at Politecnico di Milano, graduating in 1951 as one of only three women that year. After an apprenticeship with Gio Ponti—who repeatedly told her architecture was a man's job—and later with Marco Zanuso, she opened her own studio in Milan in 1963. Boeri designed iconic furniture and objects, including the Ghost chair for Fiam (1987), which won the Compasso d'Oro in 2022, and the Cibi glass series for Arnolfo di Cambio (1972). The Cibi glasses gained cult status after appearing in the 1982 film Blade Runner, where a character drinks whisky from them; they are still sold as the 'Blade Runner' old fashioned glass. Boeri's democratic design philosophy prioritized functionality and accessibility, and her architecture integrated with nature, exemplified by the Villa Usmate built without cutting any birch trees. She died in 2020 at age 96.