Robbi understood what we were looking for and created a truly beautiful & unique piece of work that will remain in our family for generations to come.
Robbi is in tune with the mediums he works, a real craftsman. Our table radiates such a gorgeous lustre; there is a genuine romance between the different materials that he has successfully brought together. We would definitely recommend Pittorino Designs! “Thank You Robbi.”
Christine Byrnes, April 2018
We were looking for someone to create polished concrete bench tops for a new barbecue/pizza oven and by pure chance […] I met Robbi from Pittorino Designs. In all my time I have never come across anyone quite like Robbi, his passion and dedication to create ‘works of art’ is amazing. From the initial draw up stage right through to the pouring and polishing process he made us feel involved with his creation. The end result is nothing short of stunning and it will be a talking point amongst my family and friends for years to come. His work is superb and I can’t recommend him highly enough for any project that he puts his hand to.
Eddie Camilleri JP, November 2016
There are very few people who put their heart and soul into the things they make. In a world of mass production truly innovative and inspired creations are seriously hard to find. Over the last 20 years Robbi has created for me a whole range of stand-out pieces, things that invite the most glowing comments from all who see them. From magnificent tables to sculptured walls, from flowing benchtops to sensual ceramics, everything crafted, everything unique, everything impossible to ignore. Professional artistry, with personality and charm…what more can I say, buy Pittorino now.
Ken Smart, December 2014
Sculpture and function combine in this tight contemporary terrace courtyard in inner Sydney. An organic and unexpected design solution rather than a more obvious geometric response has successfully been utilized to respond to the design brief for an outdoor room which fuses with internal spaces.
The landscape architects worked with sculptor Robert Pittorino to successfully combine the function of retaining, the act of lounging, the creation of an art piece, the movement of water and the placement of lighting to create a richly layered organic composition. By employing a sculptural yet structural form the landscape architects have been able to soften and personalize the space and at the same time develop a series of sub-areas of varying scale, mood and use.
The result is a colourful, soft, sensuous and bold form which is also a demonstration in textural and structural restraint.
Jury Citation, Edna Walling Award for Residential Designed Landscapes 2006
Winner: Pittendrigh Shinkfield Bruce (PSB)
Project: Paddington Terrace Garden, Sydney
Nothing Pittorino makes is conventional.
Andre Martin, Vogue Living December 1995/January 1996
Robert Pittorino […] scolpisce con maestria legno e marmo, facendo affiorare forme viste in natura, per ricordare la bellezza fisica e biologica del nostro pianeta.
Robert Pittorino […] sculpts wood and marble with great artistry, bringing to the surface forms we see in nature in order to record the physical and biological beauty of our planet.
Enzo Dall’Ara, Romagna Corriere, (Ravenna) August 2003
[…] l’artista continua una ricerca tesa a far emergere l’energia vitale custodita nella materia.
[…] Pittorino continues his explorations aiming to bring out the life force harboured within the material.
Enzo Dall’Ara, Romagna Corriere, May 2001
Il suo intento é creare forme armoniose assecondando il più possibile l’evoluzione naturale di ogni pezzo, […] per costruire qualcosa di innovativo e allo stesso tempo funzionale.
Le forme create da Robert, semplici e pulite, le linee curve e sinuose […] portano alla nascita di oggetti piacevoli alla vista e gradevoli al tatto.
His intention is to create harmonious forms following the natural evolution of each piece as much as possible […] to construct something that is innovative and at the same time functional.
The simple, clean forms he creates, the curving, sinuous lines […] lead to the emergence of objects that are pleasing to the eye and beautiful to touch.
Marianna Carnoli, Qui Magazine, November 2000
There is nothing concrete about Robbi Pittorino’s ideas about making furniture, apart from the material he uses.
The Maroubra-based founder of Pittorino Designs is relentless in his pursuit of finding new ways to push the boundaries of concrete beyond the flat heavy forms we usually see it in…
Pittorino has been experimenting with techniques to manipulate concrete by hand to create elegant shapes with curved edges and smooth finishes for more than a decade.
Read Full News Local Article
Laura Trieste, News Local, August 2017
It’s over 20 years ago you made us a table, desk and coffee table from recycled silky oak. Thank you for these creations […]. The grain shines like a holograph even now.
Sue Richards, August 2016
Robbi, twenty years ago you designed and created all the furniture for my first graphic design college in Sydney. Fifteen years ago you did the same again for my Melbourne campus and then five later we built Brisbane. The tables have been loved and re-loved by countless students and teachers. They have been cried on at portfolio time and danced on at graduations. I never worried about OH&S, they were built to last. Your bookshelves have held many a beautiful book and stood the test of time with their earthy warmth.
Andrew Shillington, May 2015
From the idea of just having a dining table, we ended up with a hearth for our home.
We are really lucky to have such a special piece of furniture made with so much love, care and attention. He has created a piece of elegant beauty, with clean and yet organic lines, a work that is at the same time functional as well as aesthetic, a piece that has given much pleasure to our family and friends.
I cannot recommend Robbi’s work highly enough. At every step of the way, there was consultation and we really appreciate his approach and his meticulous attention to details, his passion for and deep understanding of the material he works with.
Robbi’s passion, his pursuit of perfection will make his work a beautiful addition to our home for generations to come.
Loubna and Peter MacDonald, July 2014
Robert Pittorino makes floating shelves which are not just functional and sturdy, but works of art in themselves.
Belinda Gibbon, Sydney Morning Herald Domain, February 2000
Egli tratta il legno come se volesse donare una possibile rinascita ad un materiale che è stato vivo […]
La mano dello scultore sembra plasmare superfici già modellate dal tempo, evidenziando un tattile vigore di vita proprio nel seguire e nel sottolineare le naturali trame cromatiche e sostanziali del legno.
He treats wood as if wanting to give the possibility of rebirth to material that was once living […]
The sculptor’s hand models surfaces already shaped by time, revealing a tactile life energy by following and emphasising the natural tones and textures of the wood.
Enzo Dall’Ara, Romagna Corriere, May 2001
Cosa va a cercare Robert Pittorino tra i legni abbandonati nei porti della sua Australia o qui sulle rive dell’Adriatico che raccolgono i resti di alberi sradicati e trascinati dai fiumi? […] Sono piuttosto storie che va cercando e raccogliendo con la tenacia insaziabile dell’artista che queste storie vuole poi plasmare e raccontare senza parole. Senza parole sì, ma non senza linguaggio, un linguaggio colto e comprensibile, raffinato e a un tempo immediato.[…]
Con sapienza antica la mano dell’artista interviene su materiali abbandonati, […] e pietosamente ascolta queste storie trascinate via e le conserva per donarcele. Come un viaggiatore instancabile che non cessa di ricercare e di stupirsi. E di stupire anche noi per la semplicità inattesa e così essenziale della sua opera.
What is Robert Pittorino searching for among the driftwood abandoned in the harbours of his Australia, or here on the shores of the Adriatic among the accumulated remains of trees uprooted and carried along by the rivers? […] He is looking for and collecting stories, with the insatiable persistence of the artist who will shape these stories and tell them without words. Without words, but not without language: an erudite and comprehensible language, sophisticated and at the same time immediate. […]
The artist’s hand brings age-old skills to abandoned materials, […] he listens with compassion to these stories that have been swept away, and preserves them as a gift to us. Like an indefatigable traveller who never ceases to seek and be amazed. And to amaze us with the unexpected and fundamental simplicity of his work.
Danilo Montanari, Qui Magazine, November 2000
Italian translations by Barbara McGilvray