Moon

Sometimes I think my work contains a paradox. Although I usually approach architecture as an industrial designer, over the course of my career I have not designed many industrial products. The handle for Olivari is an exception. The intersection between architecture and design is not exactly the source of my inspiration; rather it is the simplicity of the shape. At first glance, the handle seems ultra elementary. An element with an elliptical section comes forward from a circular rose. At one fourth of the length of the handle, it bends by 90 degrees to form the grip, maintaining its elliptical section. The handle ends sliced neatly by 45 degrees, revealing a cut with a circular shape. This is the circular core implicit in the ellipse. I was inspired by the art of tameshigiri, the challenging Japanese art of cutting with a sword. I attempted to imitate that way of revealing the essence of an object at one fell swoop, an instantaneous act that in many traditional Japanese arts is a symbol of beauty. It requires a steady hand and a clear mind. Shigeru Ban

Material:

Brass

Finish:

satin chrome, superstainlesssteel satin