industrial design Italy

The origins of Italian industrial design are found in the search for a new model of national development, which seeks to combine economic growth with innovation.

Italian industrial design was a post-war phenomenon. Post-war Italy had to rebuild its industrial base, which was devastated by the war and, at the same time, the country needed to compete with other industrialized countries. In this context Italian industrial designers wanted to show that Italy could compete with the most technologically advanced countries.

The origins of Italian industrial design are found in the search for a new model of national development which seeks to combine economic growth with innovation. The increasing attention paid to technology and research allowed an innovative technological culture to be born. This gradually changed the way Italians lived and worked.

After the war, a number of influential designers such as Bruno Munari and Enzo Mari wanted to show that it was possible to create an industrial production system in Italy capable of competing with the most technologically advanced countries. Together with companies such as Artemide, Zanotta and Danese, they promoted successful initiatives for cultural dissemination through exhibitions and magazines that made a significant contribution to the awareness of design as an essential element for the future of the country.

In the 1960s, Italy was a country marked by industrial development, and this generated new needs and demands in the sphere of design. The 1950s had seen rapid progress in scientific research, which was quickly applied to industry. This led to a growing demand for new products requiring creative experimentation with materials, technologies and processes that involved designers from all over the world.

During this period there was an explosion of creative energy: experimental workshops began to appear at universities. Some young designers opened their own studios where they could experiment with form on an industrial level; others found work in large companies whose traditional production methods were no longer adequate for new markets and demands. New design magazines appeared alongside specialist publishing houses; there was a proliferation of exhibitions and events promoting initiatives aimed at cultural dissemination as well as economic growth. It became clear that design could be used as an instrument for social change and cultural growth: in addition to its more traditional functions (to improve the appearance of objects or solve problems related to ergonomics), it could also become a tool for improving our quality of life by confronting the major issues facing society: ecology, population growth, pollution, urbanisation etc….Its function can therefore be interpreted as “manipulation” of reality (in both good and bad ways).

It was at this time that Olivetti began to be interested in the idea that a design conceived by architects and engineers could be a key factor in differentiating its products from those of other manufacturers.

What is industrial design?

You might have seen an industrial designer’s work, but you might not be familiar with the term “industrial design.” Industrial designers are artists and problem-solvers. They use creativity to produce products that are functional and aesthetically pleasing. Industrial designers consider the function, aesthetics, production costs, and even ergonomics of products when developing new product concepts. Unlike fine artists or graphic designers who create art for its own sake, industrial designers develop ideas for manufactured products.

Industrial design is a combination of engineering, ergonomics (how things work with the human body), business knowledge (how to make money from what you do) and art (how something looks).

In 1959 Ettore Sottsass joined the company’s design department where he would work for over a decade designing many office machines, typewriters, calculators and cash registers. Sottsass later recalled his experience as “a kind of artistic research” into the use of new materials and technologies since “Italian designs had not yet removed so-called ‘handmade’ objects.”

The juxtaposition between the industrial and the handmade is crucial to understanding much of Sottsass’ work.

In 1959 Ettore Sottsass joined the company’s design department where he would work for over a decade designing many office machines, typewriters, calculators and cash registers. Sottsass later recalled his experience as “a kind of artistic research” into the use of new materials and technologies since “Italian designs had not yet removed so-called ‘handmade’ objects.”

Sottsass associated with a group of architects—Gianni Agnetti, Carlo Alai, Marco Zanini, Andrea Branzi and Alessandro Mendini—who would eventually become known as Studio Alchymia. The group was influenced by early projects produced in 1972 by Archizoom Associati that advised against the use of industrial technology for mass production due to its “inefficient” nature (they argued it required too much energy). This led them to embrace an aesthetic they termed “non-design”, which combined radical architecture with elements of Pop Art.

From 1975 onwards, Olivetti begins a collaboration with Alessandro Mendini on projects such as electric ovens and desktop calculators. Other significant collaborations include that with Ettore Sottsass who also contributed to creating electronic products, machines and furniture.

In 1974 the Olivetti family sold their share of the company to the Italian state holding company, Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI). The late 1970s/early 1980s was a particularly difficult period for Olivetti, as it had to face competition from both Japan and from within Italy from powerful companies such as Nokia. The production costs of its main product, the Programma 101, were higher than those of competitors’ products. It was decided not to develop further the Programma 101 and to concentrate on office automation. In 1983 the company was bought by Carlo de Benedetti who led it until 1996.