Architect Michael Graves created the Alessi Kettle in 1985 and it has now sold more than 1.3 million pieces worldwide. Its one of the most popular designs of Alessi, an intalian design company founded in 1921 by Giovanni Alessi.
A small bird sits on the top of the kettle, whistling when the contents boil. Yes, a real, old fashioned whistle!. It's made of a high quality stainless steel. (18/10 stainless steel, so called because of the mixture of chromium & nickel metals. The alloy of these two metals enables 18/10 stainless stell to have higher brightness and durability than less inferior grades.)
It makes an elegant design statement in any modern kitchen. With its wider base, it has greater surface area on the cooktop, allowing it to boil faster. The handle and whistle are made from in PA resin, a durable material and it comes in either blue or ivory colour.
Michael Graves who is a member of a group known as the The New York Five (referring to a group of five New York City architects (Peter Eisenman, Michael Graves, Charles Gwathmey, John Hejduk and Richard Meier whose work appeared in a Museum of Modern Art exhibition in 1967, and in a 1972 book called Five Architects,) taught at Princeton University for 40 years
Apart from kettles, Graves has created over 800 different designs, some of which have been taken up by stores like Target. The products range a full selection of homewares (including toilet brushes!) The Alessi Kettle is one of his best known, and loved items. Although its has been hugely successful, it didn't start out its life as a consumer item. Alberto Alessi asked him to design a silver tea service - with a teapot, a coffee pot, sugar, creamer, a spoon, and a tray. It was never meant for resale. Just for promotional purposes. The piece received great acclaim - and it was then that he was given a different type of brief from Alessi. Alberto Alessi approached Graves and asked him to create a kettle that could be mass marketed. It had to blow water faster than anything else in the market and it was at this time that the idea of a broad base took shape. The initial brief was to create a piece that could be sold for approximately $125.
The Alessi Kettle by Michael Graves went onto international acclaim.
A small bird sits on the top of the kettle, whistling when the contents boil. Yes, a real, old fashioned whistle!. It's made of a high quality stainless steel. (18/10 stainless steel, so called because of the mixture of chromium & nickel metals. The alloy of these two metals enables 18/10 stainless stell to have higher brightness and durability than less inferior grades.)
It makes an elegant design statement in any modern kitchen. With its wider base, it has greater surface area on the cooktop, allowing it to boil faster. The handle and whistle are made from in PA resin, a durable material and it comes in either blue or ivory colour.
Michael Graves who is a member of a group known as the The New York Five (referring to a group of five New York City architects (Peter Eisenman, Michael Graves, Charles Gwathmey, John Hejduk and Richard Meier whose work appeared in a Museum of Modern Art exhibition in 1967, and in a 1972 book called Five Architects,) taught at Princeton University for 40 years
Apart from kettles, Graves has created over 800 different designs, some of which have been taken up by stores like Target. The products range a full selection of homewares (including toilet brushes!) The Alessi Kettle is one of his best known, and loved items. Although its has been hugely successful, it didn't start out its life as a consumer item. Alberto Alessi asked him to design a silver tea service - with a teapot, a coffee pot, sugar, creamer, a spoon, and a tray. It was never meant for resale. Just for promotional purposes. The piece received great acclaim - and it was then that he was given a different type of brief from Alessi. Alberto Alessi approached Graves and asked him to create a kettle that could be mass marketed. It had to blow water faster than anything else in the market and it was at this time that the idea of a broad base took shape. The initial brief was to create a piece that could be sold for approximately $125.
The Alessi Kettle by Michael Graves went onto international acclaim.
About the Author:
Bree Sanderson writes about design and homewares. Learn more about the Alessi Kettle and the Alessi Electric Kettle
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