Cristiana Giopato and Christopher Coombes have been working together for about 6 years. Their collaboration is a continual discussion of aesthetic and cultural motives together with the advance of both functional and productive methods.
The aim is the realization of a project which does not fall to compromise but which unites these two fundamentals rising above each single element.
In 2004, their first research project began, with the guidance and encouragement of George Sowden for whom Christopher worked for three years, with the formation of 30 international emerging designers in the exhibition “In Dust We Trust” leading to the formation of the company Industreal.
The same year they met Vittorio Livi, who commissioned their first industrial design project, “Jonker”, a hexagonal coffee table for Fiam Italia. Another important figure in their development is Patricia Urquiola, where Cristiana worked for three years, who in 2006 selected them to participate in the 'Sezione D'Invito' of the Promosedia competition, where they had the chance to work under the guidance of Marco Romanelli and exhibit at Spazio Orlandi.
In 2007, they were selected by Andrea Branzi and Silvana Annicchiarico to participate in the exhibition New Italian Design, which has led to further collaborations with the Triennale Di Milano such as Prime Cup.
In 2010, at the exhibition Uncovered, they presented the lamp “Tomahawk”, which has been produced as a limited edition in partnership with the gallery “Dilmos”, and the armchair “Alfred”.
Cristiana Giopato and Christopher Coombes are currently working in two main fields: the first is mass manufacturing where industrial and market realities are ever present and the second creates new realities that question the fundamentals of our industry, investigating new possibilites within a particular creative or manufacturing process. They collaborate with Glass Idromassaggi, Fiam Italia, Livit by Fiam, Miniforms, Novamobili, Dilmos, Rossana Orlandi, La Triennale Di Milano and Industreal.
Their work has been published in magazines around the world, including “The New York Times” (exhibition In Dust We Trust), “Interni” Korea (monograph), “Il Sole 24 Ore” Italy (Mermaid chair), “Interni” Italy (Uncovered exhibition), “Icon” UK (Abutilao lamp), “Glamour” Italy (Bird On A Wire lamp), “Elle Decor” Italy (Gypsy coffee table), “AD” Russia (Jonker coffee table) and in the books: “The International Design Yearbook 2007” (Patricia Uquiola, Jennifer Hudson), “D Come Design” (Anty Pansera, Luisa Bocchietto) and “Material Thoughts” (David Bramston).
They have participated in the following exhibitions:
Uncovered, during the Salone Del Mobile Di Milano, 2010
La Mano Del Designer, FAI, 2010
Micro Realities, Via Tortona, 2010
Hidden Heroes, Superstudio Più, Salone del mobile 2009
D come Design, exhibition in Torino, during the event “Torino Capitale del Design”, 2008
Spazio Orlandi, exhibition related to the experience Promosedia, Milano april 2007
Orecchietta, dal Design al Gusto, Milano april 2007
New Italian Design Itineranza, exhibition-census on young italian designers, Madrid may 2007
New Italian Design, exhibition-census on young italian designers, Milano january 2007
Promosedia 2006 with Mermaid chair, in the section “invito su selezione” by Patricia Urquiola Room X, at Habitat in Regent Street London, 100% Design 2006
Model Ideas, Fuori Salone event of Industreal company, 2005
Foodesign, by Guzzini at the Triennale Di Milano, 2004
Sensi Divini, Triennale di Milano, 2004
In Dust we Trust, Fuori Salone event of Industreal Company, Milano 2004
Salone Satellite 2000, with “Young & Design ‘00” winners of a first prize, student section.
