HARRI KOSKINEN AND KRISTIINA LASSUS
Alessi is one of the family-run “Italian Design Factories”. The Alessi family has been firmly established on Lake Orta for centuries. A long-standing tradition in wood and metal handicraft has survived up to this day in this narrow valley in the Italian Alps. Alessi products are still today considered as being handicraft items made with the aid of machines, meaning that, even though the company relies on contemporary, industrial technology and processing equipment, at depth their practice is rooted in handicraft culture. The company presently offers the entire product range under three brands: Officina Alessi, A di Alessi, and Alessi. They do not employ in-house designers, but work with independent talents instead. Their current catalog of more than 3,000 items in metal, plastics, wood, crystal, porcelain, and including also appliances and consumer electronics, is the result of Alessi’s collaboration with over 500 designers from all over the world.
Of the two Alessi designers with projects on show in STRAIGHTFORWARD Harri Koskinen established his Helsinki-based design studio, Friends of Industry in 1998. In his work Koskinen focuses mainly on product design for several international clients. However, his studio also offers concept design and exhibition architecture. Kristiina Lassus has worked as an interior architect, designer and design manager in Helsinki, Brisbane and Milan. She has lived in Italy since 1997, worked as design manager for Alessi until 2004 and now runs her own design studio Studio Kristiina Lassus in Milan.
123DL, FAT TRAY AND ADAGIO
123dl is a set of three different sized glasses intended for several purposes. Harri Koskinen’s idea when designing the glasses was to create a set that could satisfy numerous needs throughout the day: an espresso, a cappuccino, a cup of tea, or a glass of wine or water. Maybe even a snack, using the small glass as a peanut bowl. The three glasses also function as measuring cups for volumes of 1, 2 and 3 dl.
The voracious bamboo tray is called “Fat” because it has already “swallowed” inside itself everything one needs for setting a table, while on top, fresh food, beverages or pastries are ready to be served during a business meeting, an afternoon tea, a picnic in the park or even in the office. It’s the first combined tray/container produced by Alessi and their only wooden tray currently in production.
Adagio or A405 is a thermo-insulated jug with a double-walled body and lid in stainless steel. The project was developed by Kristiina Lassus as a continuation for her A401 tea and coffee set designed in 2008. It meets all the functional requirements of the hotel industry, but thanks to its soft and plumb shape it is also a good addition to one’s own breakfast table. The jug is available in 60 cl and 100 cl sizes.
