In 2016, the twenty-fourth edition of the Compasso d’Oro – the oldest design award, conceived by Gio Ponti – celebrated a range of spatial values, among which thinness stood out, a sense of solid lightness. Alongside the lighting by Konstantin Grcic and Daniel Rybakken and the interiors by Palù e Bianchi, one project emerged as a turning point for its field: the 5mm series, designed and developed by Giampiero Castagnoli, Marco Fagioli, and Emanuel Gargano for Rubinetterie Treemme.
“5mm marked a fundamental step in the history of Rubinetterie Treemme, strengthening its international positioning,” says today Massimo Tommasi, the company’s Marketing and Sales Director for Italy, and “ten years after the Compasso d’Oro, this anniversary becomes a meaningful opportunity to renew and enhance the collection”.

At the core of 5mm lies a radical intuition, embedded in its very name: reducing everything to a constant thickness of just five millimeters. This dimension defines both the external profile and the internal dynamics of water flow, governing mixing and performance. It is also the principle behind a restrained, lightweight aesthetic designed to engage with contemporary bathroom spaces. The extremely thin spout section helps limit limescale build-up even in hard water conditions, ensuring durability, reduced maintenance, and consistent water quality. From the outset, the convergence of formal innovation, functional research, and water-saving awareness established 5mm as a benchmark in tap design.

In 2026, the collection evolves through an update that broadens its expressive scope. The introduction of PVD finishes – Gun Metal, Bronze, Yellow Gold, Soft Bronze, and Chocolate – creates a refined palette, conceived to interact with the diverse materials and surfaces that define interiors today. Applying this finishing technology to such minimal geometries represents a significant technical challenge, successfully addressed by the company without compromising the identity of the project. The result is a more versatile collection, offering designers and architects greater compositional freedom.

Since its founding in 1968 in Asciano, Rubinetterie Treemme has grown from a small artisan workshop into an internationally recognized brand, consistently placing research and design culture at its core. From the early experimentation with color in the Arcobaleno line, introduced in 1980 with Design Calonaci & Gazzei, to the many awards received over time, the company has continually anticipated new directions in its field. These include multiple Design Plus Awards, the recognition of 22MM at IMM Cologne, and Q30 at Cersaie in Bologna, alongside the numerous international accolades earned by 5mm beyond the Compasso d’Oro, such as the German Design Award, inclusion in the ADI Index, and the Red Dot Design Award.

With this new chapter for 5mm, Rubinetterie Treemme reaffirms an international vocation grounded in innovation and coherence, an ability to interpret evolving needs that is renewed, with precision, in every new proposal.