Palomba: Older designers better than young designers

Competence and experience are required in "complicated and complex" world of design

29 Oct, 18

Architect and designer Roberto Palomba has claimed older designers are better than those who are younger.

He pointed to the significance of experience, as well as competence, since design is “complicated and complex.”

Roberto Palomba stated: “Young designers are very important but I see, every year, older ones are better. That’s grey power! It takes experience.”

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However, Palomba went on to say that a younger designer working with an older designer creates “a perfect mix like duets in music.”

He added young designers have vision and older designers have the experience to make the visions work.

Palomba said: “My team is very young. I learn a lot from them and I try to give them my experience, my competence with materials, industrial processes and my views of different societies.

“We need one young brain and one old brain, working together.”

He also pointed out that young designers in his team, who have grown-up with the digital world, were teaching him how to be fast and light in his approach.

Roberto Palomba has designed as part of a couple with Ludovica Palomba for more than 25 years, founding the Milan-based firm Palomba Serafini Associati in 1994.

Together they have received numerous design awards, including Elle Decoration International Design Award, Compasso D’Oro, Red Dot, Design Plus, Good Design Award and German Design Award.

They have collaborated with brands such as Zuchetti.Kos on the design of its Milan showroom, and Laufen, with the launch of the Palomba Collection in 2012.

Most recently, he has worked with Laufen by Kartell on a concept line of sanitaryware, the Dim Sum project, which made its worldwide debut during Milan Design Week.

Laufen presents Dim Sum concept at LDF

Based on Dim Sum tableware, the project features a series of basins formed using Laufen’s SaphirKeramik to create a variety of shapes.

Roberto Palomba made his comments at the UK unveiling of his Dim Sum project for Laufen by Kartell, during the London Design Festival.