Alessi Italian espresso maker Grey Metal. Dimensions: Capacity: 15 cl –
Ø 9 x H 13.5 cm (width with handle: 16 cm). Renaissance of a popular icon
… In the “designers’ coffee makers” collection, Alessi couldn’t resist
including the interpretation by British architect David Chipperfield. The Moka
coffee maker pays tribute to Alfonso Bialetti, who in 1931 invented the famous
Italian espresso machine, the Moka Express. With its octagonal shape inspired by
Futurism and Art Deco, Moka has established itself as an archetype in its
category. It’s one of the first outstanding examples of Italian design. In
fact, the Moka has left a lasting impression on the minds of Italians and
others, and its iconic status persists to this day. Architect-designer David
Chipperfield set out to reflect on the evolution of the Moka archetype, with
greater use of the vocabulary of contemporary design. Chipperfield has captured
the essence of a popular icon and focused on the details. With its reassuring
gurgling, which announces every morning that the coffee is brewing, the Italian
coffee maker has created a place in our imagination.David Chipperfield explains
his work: “The Moka coffee maker has established itself as a generic typology,
just like a bottle opener, a pair of glasses or scissors, or any other everyday
item whose identity is both known and undetermined. It has managed to find its
place, not just in our kitchens, but in the rituals of our daily life. Its
unique identity and the feeling of familiarity it evokes in us are not only the
product of its likable silhouette, but also the soft materiality that comes from
its cast aluminium body, the inimitable creaking it emits when screwed or
unscrewed. It is truly amazing to see how this small object, as complex and
effective as it is, has become so democratic that it requires no invitation or
instructions to burst into our daily lives. So why try to reinterpret it, in
that case? Maybe just to reinforce what it already was. All burners except
induction.
