British architect David Chipperfield has offered his take on the classic Italian coffee maker invented by Alfonso Bialetti in the 1930s.
Chipperfield's Moka is a contemporary upgrade to the Moka Express, one of the most successful products to come out of Italy following the second world war.
Like the original, this espresso maker is made from die-cast aluminium and feature a distinctive faceted body. But it has a simple profile, with a flat lid and a fuss-free handle.
David Chipperfield's Moka has a simple profile, with a flat lid and a fuss-free handle
Italian design brand Alessi first revealed the design at the Maison&Objet homeware fair in Paris earlier this year but it will officially launched in Milan this month.
Bialetti was the maternal grandfather of Alessi founder Alberto Alessi. He developed his Moka in 1931, although it didn't become a commercial success until more than a decade later, when his son Renato pushed it out to the international market. The innovative design brews coffee by using steam to push boiling water through ground coffee.
Chipperfield wanted to maintain the "familiar and generic" qualities of the original Moka
Alberto Alessi describes the product as one of the earlier examples of Italian design.
He attributes its success to a number of factors ? not only was it more efficient than using a pan, but also affordable to the masses. Plus, in the economic boom after the war, it benefited hugely from a widespread advertising campaign.
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