Carlo Colombo was born in 1967 in Carimate, in the Como region, Italy. After completing his architecture studies at the Polytechnique School of Milan in 1993, he founded his own studio in his home town and started working with many renowned Italian design companies. Particular highlights are collaborations with Artemide, Zanotta, Antonio Lupi, Penta, Oluce, Nemo and Cappellini.
Today, he is a worldwide active, versatile designer. In addition to his offices in Carimate and Milan, he has branch offices in Lugano, in Sao Paulo, Abu Dhabi and Beijing. From these places, he curates exhibitions, designs marketing strategies for companies, creates interior decoration and implements large construction projects. Special attention must be given to the Hong Kong Louvre Gallery and the construction of two towers in the city centre of Abu Dahbi.
For his work, Colombo received many prizes. He was elected Designer of the Year for his Carlo Colombo products in Tokyo in 2004. In 2014 and 2015, he was awarded the coveted Red Dot Design Award in the category "Best of the Best". During the same year, he was also honoured with the iF Product Design Award.
In the field of interior design, Carlo Colombo does not only create exquisite furniture for the bathroom, the kitchen and the living room, but also pays attention to lighting. Carlo Colombo's light fixtures are characterized by a particular interaction between functionality and atmosphere. By combining high-quality materials, innovative details and a convenient handling, he creates light fixtures which appeal to the user's senses. Carlo Colombo's lights exude timeless elegance and create a magical light, achieving a sense of well-being for everyone. Particular attention must be given to his lights for Penta, such as the Bag Outdoor floor lamp which impresses with its high size on terraces and gardens. The Glo collection was also created by Carlo Colombo for Penta. Glo radiates pure elegance and value through its shiny glass shades.
Photograph: Caio Esteves Ribas