Background
Born in Padova, Paola Petrobelli has always been driven by an insatiable curiosity to understand how things work. As a child, she built simple electrical circuits and improvised lamps from household objects, batteries, and bulbs; later, she could be found dismantling her motocross bike in an effort to grasp how its components functioned as a whole. This investigative mindset led her to earn an MSc in Molecular Biology, allowing her to explore the intricate systems that underpin the natural world. The systematic processes of scientific research—and nature’s tendency to reduce form to essential function—continue to inform her design practice today.
Background
Though science and creativity are often seen as opposing forces, Petrobelli unites them through a reductive, linear approach that results in works of striking simplicity and elegance. Every element in her designs must justify its existence, echoing the logic of natural systems. Growing up near Venice, her attraction to glass was almost inevitable, yet she rejects its instinctive organic tendencies. Instead, she insists on control and precision, shaping the material according to strict parameters imposed by both the medium and the discipline of handcraft. Her early works—functional glass vessels—were conceived to be handled and used, not merely observed, reinforcing her belief in interaction over passive display.
Showstoppers
As her practice evolved, the theme of impermanence became central. Her stacking lamps, composed of modular elements, are designed to be rearranged by their owners and are intentionally shipped as separate components rather than fixed forms. Petrobelli has since completed commissions for prestigious domestic projects in Italy and the United Kingdom and collaborated with influential cultural and commercial names including Wallpaper magazine, Christian Dior, Peroni, and The Other Criteria. Her work has been exhibited internationally at venues such as the Triennale Design Museum in Milan, PAD London and Paris, Design Miami/Basel, the London Design Festival, Salone del Mobile, and Nomad in Capri and St. Moritz, firmly establishing her voice within contemporary design.
