At 79, Design Legend Gaetano Pesce Still Has Work to Do

Walking into Italian architect Gaetano Pesce’s studio in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the first thing you notice is the smell: wet paint. “Sorry about that,” his studio assistant says. “We’re finishing the structure for this cabinet—Sole.” Just as quickly, your other senses kick in—music thumps and machines buzz. Sun pours in through the windows, gliste...