Roberto Sambonet

Sambonet's stylish Italian designs were informed by his keen interest in fine art, despite his training in architecture in Milan, where he graduated in 1945. Friends with Finnish designer Alvar Aalto and collaborator with Pier Maria Bardi in Brazil, his commitment to design was consolidated with the establishment of his own company, Sambonet, in 1956. He earned a reputation for domestic products such as the stainless steel Centre Line kitchenware (1965), Empilage glassware (1971) for Baccarat, and ceramics for Richard Ginori. He also designed packaging for goods designed for the Sambonet company, as well as graphics for a number of other companies including the Milan-based department store La Rinascente (for which he was appointed consultant in 1960), automobile manufacturer Alfa Romeo and the periodical Zodiac (for which he was art director from 1956). He was awarded many design prizes including the Grand Prix at the Milan Triennale of 1960, the Domus Prize in 1962, and the Compasso d'Oro in 1956, 1970, and 1979.