Michael Graves was born in 1934 in Indianapolis, USA. In the 1960's, his architecture work followed the form of the modernist buildings from the 1920's and 1930's.
However by the end of the 1970's his work had converted into a post-modernist style. When he was a professor at Princeton University he was known for his impressive drawings. He used this talent to design items for everyday use. A famous example of this was is Bird kettle made for Alessi, which was bought by more than a half a million people. The stainless steel kettle had a conical shape and is accentuated by a subtle pattern of raised dots towards the base and a black ball which is the knob for the lid.
He also created with Alessi products such as espresso cups, an egg timer, a corkscrew, a thermos, and many kettles and jugs. He has also made porcelain, lamps, carpets, jewelry and clocks. For his unique and sophisticated work, his studio has received more than one hundred design awards.