Interview with Luigi Ippoliti and Rosita di Mizio

Our journey began from a shared passion for art, visual communication, and architecture. Since our university years, we understood that design was a tool to read and interpret reality, improving it through functional and meaningful projects. The desire to give form to impactful ideas has driven us to work in this field, refining our skills both through study and practical experience.

Our design approach is based on listening, analysis, and synthesis. We always strive to deeply understand the context and client needs to create coherent, functional, and lasting solutions. We combine analog and digital work, manual sketches, prototypes, physical mock-ups, and modeling and rendering tools. For us, every project is a balance between thought and form, content and image.

Designing gives us a sense of discovery and deep involvement. There is an initial excitement tied to the idea, followed by focus and technical challenge in shaping it, and finally gratification when the project comes to life. For us, design is a form of storytelling that unites emotion and rationality, and it is in this dialogue that we find our creative balance.

Beyond design skills, we have been strongly shaped by observation ability, cultural sensitivity, and critical thinking. A solid architectural foundation taught us to think in systems and relationships, while interest in graphics, art, and photography enriched our aesthetic vision. Multidisciplinarity is one of our main resources.

We have several projects underway and are enthusiastically working on upcoming challenges. We invite you to follow us on our social channels to stay updated on news and future developments.

Our most important advice is to cultivate curiosity, observe carefully, and listen before designing. Building a solid visual culture and not fearing mistakes are essential. The best projects often come from nonlinear processes. It is also important to engage in dialogue and accept constructive criticism. Finally, invest in your design identity without chasing trends.

We recommend always keeping a clear view of the world, avoiding self-referentiality. Design is not decoration but a responsibility. One must learn to design consciously, be rigorous, but also capable of surprising. We believe in professional ethics, sharing knowledge, and building authentic relationships.

Every day is different. We alternate moments of research and discussion with more practical phases.

We follow trends with a critical spirit. We pay attention to the evolution of visual language but prefer to build a personal design identity. We read industry magazines, attend exhibitions, follow conferences, and engage with colleagues and students. However, the most powerful inspiration often comes from non-design contexts: nature, literature, urban life..

For us, good design clearly, coherently, and honestly communicates. It must be functional but also capable of evoking emotions. When a project is simple without being banal, elegant without being cold, we know the goal is achieved. Common mistakes include excess form, poor attention to context, and lack of thought behind aesthetics.

We know a project is ready when it can stand on its own, without further explanations or justifications. This is also an intuitive moment when form and content align. However, we recognize that every project could still evolve: for this reason, we carefully archive everything, ready to revisit if needed but also able to let go.

For us as designers, every work, even the smallest, is important. Every project is a unique opportunity to experiment, learn, and contribute value.

We admire many designers and architects, but if we had to name a few, we would say: Alvar Aalto, Eileen Gray, Charles and Ray Eames, Philippe Starck, and Karim Rashid.

We live and work in Italy, a country with an extraordinary cultural and visual layering that inspires us daily. Our culture has taught us the value of beauty, detail, and balance. Music, art, photography, and literature are part of our daily life and deeply influence our work.

We work collaboratively, both between us and with our partners and clients. We seek professional relationships based on trust, respect, and dialogue. We carefully evaluate every project, preferring quality over quantity. We are demanding with ourselves but open to confrontation. We consider it essential to have an ethical and responsible vision of our work at every stage.

As a team of architects and designers, we deeply believe in the value of design serving the community. We actively engage in pro bono projects for social initiatives, offering sustainable and accessible solutions. Additionally, we participate in workshops and conferences to support and inspire young talents, thus contributing to the growth and wellbeing of society through design.

Participating in the A’ Design Award has been a valuable opportunity for exchange, visibility, and growth. The three main benefits we found are: international recognition, the chance to be part of a global network of professionals, and the appreciation of the design process. Design awards motivate us to do better, reflect, and constantly raise quality standards.

The desire to improve the world around us through design, combining functionality and aesthetics, drives us. For us, design is a means to interpret society’s needs and transform them into concrete and innovative solutions.

The choice was entirely natural, stemming from our passion for art, architecture, and creativity. We never felt compelled—we were driven by the desire to express ideas through design.

We primarily work in architecture and integrated design, but we would like to dedicate more energy to sustainable projects that have a positive impact on communities and the environment, promoting social innovation.

Young designers must cultivate curiosity, observe carefully, and build a solid visual culture. It is also essential to welcome criticism and feedback in order to grow and develop one’s own design identity.

A great designer doesn’t just create beautiful forms but is capable of integrating aesthetics, functionality, and innovation, producing solutions that endure over time and bring real value.

Good design effectively addresses contextual needs with clarity and coherence, while also evoking emotion and communicating authentically.

Good design improves quality of life, promotes sustainability, and makes spaces and objects more accessible and functional, representing a long-lasting investment.

If we had more time, we would dedicate ourselves to social and environmental projects focused on disadvantaged communities, aiming to improve their well-being through innovative solutions.

The next one…

The recipe is deep listening, careful analysis, and the balance between emotion and rationality, which allows us to develop coherent and engaging projects.

We draw inspiration from figures such as Alvar Aalto, Eileen Gray, Charles and Ray Eames, Joe Colombo, Philippe Starck, Zaha Hadid, and Karim Rashid for their ability to combine innovation and artistic sensitivity.

A Shaker-style chair and table, which embody a way of living and designing based on simplicity, spirituality, and a rigorous approach that successfully combines functionality and beauty. Equally interesting to us are Philippe Starck’s “Juicy Salif” citrus juicer for its surprising shape, and Karim Rashid’s “Kontrol” chair. Finally, a design object we feel particularly attached to is Aldo Rossi’s “La Cupola” espresso coffee maker for Alessi.

Our best project is one that combines attention to context, care for detail, and durable solutions, managing to be simple and effective at the same time specifically, we feel a deep connection to a villa we are building on a hillside among licorice fields.

To improve, it is necessary to observe carefully, develop cultural sensitivity and critical capacity, integrating multidisciplinary and practical experiences.

We probably would have worked in related fields such as art or visual communication, remaining connected to creativity.

Design is a narrative process that unites emotion and rationality to improve daily life through functional and aesthetic solutions.

Mutual support, along with collaborations based on trust and dialogue, has been fundamental in our journey.

Passion, consistency in study, and the ability to listen to and interpret the context in which you work.

The main challenges were balancing creativity and functionality and overcoming technical and cultural limitations.

With clarity, narrating the design process and highlighting the added value of their choices.

We are working on projects that integrate sustainability and social innovation, aiming for innovative and responsible solutions.

To create projects that endure over time and concretely improve people’s lives.

Coherence, project rigor, innovation, and constant attention to context and needs.

By offering accessible, sustainable, and functional solutions that meet real needs and improve collective life.

Multidisciplinary projects that unite architecture, design, and communication, with a special focus on sustainability.

Those capable of integrating beauty, functionality, and respect for context, generating a lasting positive impact.

Greater attention to ethics, sustainability, and an inclusive and participatory approach.

A design increasingly integrated with technology and sustainability, capable of actively engaging society.

The time varies depending on complexity, but we prefer processes that allow for care and depth.

By carefully listening to the client and deeply analyzing the context and needs.

Curiosity, rigor, and balance between emotion and rationality are our guiding principles.

Design must engage in dialogue with trends, while maintaining its own original and enduring identity.

Technology is a fundamental tool that supports creativity and precision, without replacing critical thinking.

We use software for 3D modeling and rendering, supported by manual sketches and physical prototypes.

They are essential elements for defining identity, communicating, and ensuring sustainability and comfort.

We would like them to ask which design choices were made and how the project responds to real needs and context.

I analyze the balance between function and form and the value it brings to the user.

We believe in collaborative work and open dialogue, based on mutual trust.

Colleagues, professors, and clients who have encouraged us to reflect and continuously improve.

Which books you’ve read have had the greatest impact on your design?
Texts exploring the relationship between form, function, and context, enriching our design vision; among these, we can mention: History of Design by Renato De Fusco, Manuale di storia del design by Domitilla Dardi and Vanni Pasca, and Da cosa nasce cosa. Appunti per una metodologia progettuale by Bruno Munari.

Through continuous study, practical experience, and constant dialogue with other professionals.

We would like to discuss with masters like Le Corbusier, Alvar Aalto, Eileen Gray, Joe Colombo, Zaha Hadid, Philippe Starck, Charles and Ray Eames, Luigi Moretti to deepen their vision.

Awards are important recognition, but true success lies in the quality and coherence of the work, not fame.

For Rosita Di Mizio: favorite color is orange; place is the sea; food is Abruzzese timballo; season is spring; brand is “Tubes.”
For Luigi Ippoliti: favorite color is black; place is the sea; food is pizza; season is summer; brand is “Alessi.”

Moments of brainstorming where spontaneous ideas led to surprising solutions.

Discovering new solutions, the technical challenge, and the satisfaction of seeing a project take shape.

It was not a defined thought, but the passion for art and design has always been present.

I imagine a future where design and technology are deeply integrated to improve global life.

We would like them to know that our work is guided by passion and the desire to contribute to a better world through design, with a special focus on the pet world.

We are a team, but in essence, we are a multidisciplinary laboratory where design, research, and a commitment to social and environmental issues come together. We work on projects ranging from product design to public spaces, with particular attention to inclusion, sustainability, and the creation of environments and objects that, through a zooanthropological approach, promote pet-friendly design.

For us, design is a language for generating change a tool to create meaningful connections between people, animals, objects, and environments. It is not merely about aesthetics or function, but an approach that integrates creativity, technology, and sustainability. Design is also a modus operandi that enables the development of innovative products, which we follow from concept through to production and distribution.

We are passionate about projects that are useful, democratic, and sustainable, with a particular focus on the world of pet design. We love designing open, modular systems that adapt to their context and generate long-term value. Our greatest interest lies in projects born from intuition those we can develop with “slowness “ and “care”.

Our favorite kind of design is the one that enhances everyday life, bringing something extraordinary, unique, and unexpected to every object.

It is a small object, designed to be durable, sustainable, and iconic.

We are keen to work with recycled and bio-based materials, as well as with digital platforms that enable distributed and adaptable production, such as 3D printing and parametric systems.

When we take our time to think, when we immerse ourselves in a real context. For us, creativity emerges through dialogue and from observing the complexity of the world, which we approach with curiosity.

For us, the social impact of the project, sustainability, the zooanthropological approach, form related to functionality, and Beauty are fundamental.

A combination of enthusiasm, passion, attentiveness, and responsibility. It is a process that engages us both intellectually and emotionally.

We take great satisfaction in the awareness that every object, once in the world, generates complex and sometimes unpredictable relationships.

When it is ethically sound, aesthetically coherent, and socially useful. Successful design is that which leaves a lasting impact and is open to influence from diverse and heterogeneous disciplines.

We focus on the honesty of the project, the clarity of its intent, and the real impact. If there is a lack of coherence between the initial insight and the final result, for us, it simply doesn’t work.

The responsibilities are many. In our view, we must design less, better, and for more people. Every choice carries material, symbolic, environmental, social, and economic weight.

We believe that design is becoming more relational, interdisciplinary, and conscious. For us, the future of design lies in regeneration, co-design, and shared responsibility, with greater focus on the key challenges of our time.

The last one took place in a public space, where we exhibited a participatory project. The next will be within the context of MOOD (Museum of Design) in Como, where we will showcase our project “Shake Off.”

For us, inspiration comes from people's everyday gestures, social relationships, nature, art and architecture, and the beauty of the sea, which is our muse.

Empathetic, ironic, modular, innovative. We seek flexible and accessible solutions that adapt to the time and place in which they exist.

We live in Italy, in Tortoreto, Abruzzo, where the places inspire projects in dialogue with memory but without nostalgia, because fundamentally, it is nature that is our true muse.

With a collaborative and transparent approach. We seek reliable partnerships based on shared values and clear, achievable goals.

Companies should have a clear vision, listen, trust, and be open: design is not just a finished product, but a process built together.

We start by listening to people and observing nature. This is followed by research, synthesis, and initial concepts. We prototype extensively and conduct numerous tests. It is an open, dynamic, and participatory process.

A Shaker-style chair and table, which embody a way of living and designing based on simplicity, spirituality, and a rigorous approach that successfully combines functionality and beauty. Equally interesting to us are Philippe Starck’s “Juicy Salif” citrus juicer, for its striking form, and Karim Rashid’s “Kontrol” chair. Lastly, a design object to which we are particularly attached is Aldo Rossi’s espresso coffee maker “La Cupola,” created for Alessi.

Every day is different. We alternate between moments of research and discussion, and more hands-on phases.

We recommend always nurturing curiosity, learning from mistakes, and placing people’s needs at the center of design.

The positive aspects of being a designer include the opportunity to innovate and positively impact people's lives. Among the negative aspects are the high expectations that need to be managed.

Creating accessible design that combines functionality and beauty, focusing on the user experience with an optimistic and inclusive approach.

The most important skills for a designer include creativity and innovation, empathy, flexibility and adaptability, interdisciplinary knowledge, effective communication, and a passion for continuous improvement.

Paper, pen, modeling and visualization software, 3D printing, physical models. But also: conversations, concept maps, co-design workshops.

We embrace the complexity and timing of the process. We strive to maintain a balance between rigor and flexibility, knowing that time is an integral part of the project.

It depends on the context. It can take weeks or months. Each project has its own evolution, including pauses and revisions.

The most frequent question? Probably: Where does inspiration come from? And my answer is always the same: from observing life. Design does not come from an aesthetic whim, but from a deep desire to improve daily life. Every object must serve an idea, not the other way around.

For us as designers, every job even the smallest is important. Each project is a unique opportunity to experiment, learn, and contribute with value.

Our clients include both private individuals and companies, active in various areas of design and architecture.

We are particularly passionate about pet design because it combines functionality, aesthetics, and attention to animal well-being, creating solutions that improve the coexistence between people and their pets.

We have several projects in progress and are enthusiastically working on upcoming challenges. We invite you to follow us on our social media channels to stay updated on all news and future developments.

We always work as a team, including with external partners. We believe collaboration is the driving force behind the project.

We are currently developing pet design projects focused on animal care and on improving the quality of indoor spaces in homes shared by humans and animals.

Through our website, email, and social media channels, we are always open to exchanges, collaborations, and new visions.

We would like to add that the ethical and legal aspects of design, such as the protection of intellectual property, design transparency, and social responsibility, are fundamental and deserve further attention.