THE FLUID DESIGN. APTLY NAMES ‘LUSTRA 019’ ENHANCES SERGIO ASTI’S ICONIC ‘066’ DOOR HANDLE WITH AN ART NOUVEAU-INSPIRED DOORPLATE IMBUED WITH KIMBERLEY-JADE’S CHARACTERISTIC FLARE.
Having long-admired the ‘066’ for its evocative and tactile qualities – a sentiment shared by New York’s Museum of Modern Art where the design resides within its permanent collection – Kimberley-Jade approached Pittella with the idea of reimagining its decorative possibilities.“As an interior designer I’m continually searching for ways to enhance my projects. When it comes to door fittings, the ‘066’ is a work of art in itself. No other handle has its sense of form and proportion, but I was searching for something with a little more drama,”
Drawing on the distinct curvature of the original design as well as Art Nouveau and organic-form references, Kimberley-Jade designed a complementary doorplate that integrates with the ‘066’ lever by wrapping the doorframe in a single sheet of folded brass. The design creates a sense of elegant sculpture; its double magnet system artfully removing the need for an internal latch mechanism on pivot or hinged doors.
“With the function of a door pull but the elegance and beauty of a lever handle, Lustra is unlike anything on the market,” says Kimberley-Jade.
“It’s a tirelessly resolved piece of engineering that seamlessly wraps the door from front to back and along its spine without any visible fixings, and we’re incredibly excited to bring it to market.”
“With the function of a door pull but the elegance and beauty of a lever handle, Lustra is unlike anything on the market,” kjxx@kjbdesinx @pittelladesign #lustra019 #pittellaxkjbd
In development for more than two years, Lustra proved more challenging than anticipated, with the designer initially told her vision couldn’t be achieved. “What started as a simple sketch without much thought for how it would be manufactured quickly became a design challenge we were determined to overcome,” she says. “It’s been an honour to work with Pittella’s skilled artisans; learning how they marry traditional craft with cutting edge technology. Without their expertise this design simply wouldn’t be possible.”Like many of Pittella’s products, Lustra is manufactured in an ironmongery located outside Como in the north of Italy.
This connection to Italy is long established, with the business founded by managing director Simone Pittella’s Italian-born parents in 1972.
“Three generations of the one family have been manufacturing in the area since 1920’s, so there’s a wonderful synergy with my own family’s story”
“This collaboration draws on decades of expertise in both design and manufacturing, which when balanced with Kimberley’s contemporary vision makes for a truly unique product.”
A sense of the historic and the artisanal is a wonderful paradox for the contemporary technology required in producing Lustra; itself a fitting parallel for a postmodern design renewed for the modern day.
