Modern Mavericks
Identity|January 2019

id Design Awards jurors Roberto and Ludovica Palomba reflect on what they value most, on design in the UAE, on the future of the industry – and their future.

Joanne Molina
Modern Mavericks

It would be an irresponsible cliché to call them a ‘power couple’, ‘dynamic duo’ or even merely a ‘design duo’. Like their projects, Roberto and Ludovica Palomba somehow defy categorisation. Polymorphous and introspective, they are more than nuanced collaborators – they are design adventurers. Fearlessly critical and innovative, they are two of Italy’s greatest design icons that represent the future of a cosmopolitan, and decidedly Italian, lifestyle.

Over 25 years they have earned endless awards, such as Compasso D’Oro, Elle Deco International Design Award, Red Dot, Design Plus Award, Good Design Award and German Design Award. And their brand collaborations are almost endless, and include Boffi, Cappellini, Dornbracht, Driade, Foscarini, Kartell, KitchenAid, Kos, Laufen, Samsung, Viccarbe, Zanotta and Zucchetti. Roberto and Ludovica were each kind enough to answer questions that gave us insight into Italian design and the future of our industry.

What is your design philosophy and what’s shaped it?

Roberto: I am Italian; I grew up among beautiful things, on Sardinia island, dominated by nature. This country is a great source of inspiration. I’m inspired by Italy, my culture, being born in a country so rich of natural and historical beauties; I grew up in this reality, I could not help but be a designer. Ludovica: Our life experiences, our education, our culture makes us who we are.

Can you describe your greatest accomplishments over the last year?

This story is from the January 2019 edition of Identity.

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This story is from the January 2019 edition of Identity.

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