Francesca Planeta, president of Planeta Estate, receives the prestigious “Compasso d’Oro for Lifetime Achievement” 2024

A love for the Sicilian territory as infinite as the sea that surrounds Sicily, and a modern, innovative and “volcanic” vision like Etna, the other soul of the island. With passion and pioneering spirit, reminiscent of those of his father Diego Planeta, among the architects of the “Renaissance” of Sicilian winewith his cousins ​​Alessio and Santi Planeta, his family and all the people who work together with them, with a strong team spirit, he has ferried the family business to new heights, always maintaining a deep respect for local traditions and making them the protagonists of a unique and engaging visual narrative, making them a symbol of excellence in the world of Italian and international wine. It is the portrait of Francesca Planeta, president of Planeta Estate, who, for her professional career and the significant contribution she has offered to “designing” the made in Italy food design sector, received yesterday, at the Adi Design Museum in Milan, the prestigious “Compasso d’Oro for Lifetime Achievement”, the oldest and most authoritative design award in the world, born 70 years ago, established in 1954 by Gio Ponti, which recognizes excellence in design and production. A sign of how design can be a powerful tool for telling and enhancing the culture and history of a territory.
The “Compasso d’Oro Adi” awards 2024, edition no. 28, assigned by Luciano Galimberti, president of Adi, and Umberto Cabini, president of the Adi Collezione Compasso d’Oro Foundation, with the president of the Lombardy Region Attilio Fontana and the mayor of Milan Giuseppe Sala, with the patronage of the Ministries of Business and Made in Italy , Foreign Affairs and Culture, went to 20 products, which were added the “Compassi d’Oro for Lifetime Achievement”, awarded to 9 Italian and 2 international personalities, important figures from the world of design, such as Paola Antonelli, Umberto Cassina, Anna Ferrino, Roberto Gavazzi, Piero Lissoni, Maurizio Riva, Paola Rizzatto, Roberto Ziliani , Tadao Ando and Rei Kawakubo, and 3 long-selling products, design successes on the market with a career spanning more than ten years. In addition to the prizes, 39 Honorable Mentions were awarded to products chosen for their qualities, and the Targa Giovani to projects by students of Italian design universities. 311 other products included in the catalogue. The awarded objects will become part of the “Compasso d’Oro” collection, permanently exhibited at the Adi Design Museum.
“My vision of design is deeply linked to the beauty of Sicily, an inexhaustible source of inspiration thanks to its cultural and natural riches – explains Francesca Planeta – here, the nuances of the landscapes are reflected in the shapes and colors, creating a visceral bond with the territory. Artisan tradition combines with contemporary creativity, giving life to places that tell stories of life and authenticity, where every detail is a tribute to the rich heritage of the island, telling a story of beauty and passion.” Descendant of a family with a long tradition in Sicilian agriculture, daughter of art and heir of one of the “noble fathers” of Italian wine, like Diego Planeta, after two Masters in Corporate Communication in London and Milan, in 1995 she entered the family winery, contributing to the internationalization of Sicilian wines and building around it a hospitality system and a route in Sicily between the family cellars and resorts. As president of Planeta Estate led the development of real estate and hospitality, inaugurating La Foresteria in Menfi (Agrigento) in 2009 and converting part of the family palace in Palermo into a residence open to the public in 2017. He opened the Insula Beach Club in Menfi in 2023 and the La Segreta Country House residence in 2024. You are a member of the board of directors of the Leonardo Committee and of the boards of directors of the Uiv-Unione Italiana Vino and Le Soste di Ulisse. This honor comes a few days after the “key” of the Michelin Italy Guide was awarded to La Foresteria Planetawhich celebrates the properties that offer the most extraordinary stays. “A career that follows in the footsteps of those who preceded her: coherence and prospective vision come together in experience in a historically traditional sector. The path traced is a concrete materialization of the best principles of Made in Italy food design”, the motivation of the jury – composed of Maria Cristina Didero, independent author and curator, Luciano Galimberti, Francisco Gómez Paz, designer, Renata Cristina Mazzantini, director of the National Gallery of ‘Modern and Contemporary Art of Rome, and Toshiyuki Kita, designer and Ambassador of the Italian Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka – who awarded her the Lifetime Achievement Award.