RiCHARD SAPPER
1932-2015 edited by Giuseppe D’Alessandro
BIO
Richard Sapper (30 May 1932 – 31 December 2015) was a German industrial designer based in Milan, Italy. He is considered one of the most important designers of his generation, his products typically featuring a combination of technical innovation, simplicity of form and an element of wit and surprise. After beginning as a designer in the styling department at Mercedes-Benz, Sapper relocated to Milan in 1958, where he initially joined the offices of architect Gio Ponti and subsequently the design department of La Rinascente. In 1959, he partnered with Italian architect and designer Marco Zanuso, a collaboration that would last on and off for 18 years until 1977. The pair were hired in 1959 as consultants to Brionvega, an Italian company trying to produce well-designed electronics that would compete with products manufactured in Japan and Germany. Together they designed a series of radios, televisions and other consumer electronics that became enduring icons. Using the aesthetic of sculptural minimalism, they created the compact folding Grillo telephone for Siemens and Italtel in 1965. The Grillo was the first telephone featuring the flip-down mouthpiece, a precursor to the clamshell designs of today's mobile phones.
Shape always follows the function.
TV Algol for BRIONVEGA - 1965
1 9 6 3 TS 502 R a d i o BRIONVEGA
Objects entered in millions of homes, and even some unrealized idea, or remained just a project or a prototype, but still modern.
1 9 6 2 Tr a n s i s t o r r a d i o M a t c h TELEFUNKEN
modern: that belongs to our time
1 9 7 5 Tantalo Clock ARTEMIDE
“Time is one of the few things that can qualify an object.”
1 9 6 0 “Static” LORENZ
the SMOOTHNESS "This clock was named Sandwich because in order to stop the alarm one must press (sandwich) the outer parts inward against each other."
1 9 7 1 Sandwich Clock RITZ-ITALORASTILL
the BLACK BOX
ThinkPad 1995 with Sam Lucente, Robert P. Tennant, John Karidis for IBM Corporation
1 9 6 9 Black TV BRIONVEGA
The shape of technological equipment does not reveal anything of their duties, in which the inner workings could be magical.
1 9 7 6 Chronometer H E U E R
FOLLOWERS
2 0 0 7 Apple TV Design by APPLE INC
1 9 8 9 Motorola M i c roTa c S e r i e s Design by MOTOROLA
2 0 1 4 Design by Mark Cerny Console PS4 S O N Y
In 1972, Sapper designed the Tizio lamp for Artemide, one of the first desk lamps using halogen bulbs w i t h l ow - vo l t a g e c u r r e n t conducting arms to eliminate the need for wires. The Tizio remains one of t h e best-selling lamps ever produced.
In 1972, Sapper designed the Tizio lamp for Artemide, one of the first desk lamps using halogen bulbs with low-voltage current conducting arms to eliminate the need for wires. The Tizio remains one of the best-selling lamps ever produced.
In 1980, Sapper was appointed principal industrial design con sultant at IBM and began desi gning numerous portable com puters, including the first Thin kPad 700C in 1992 , which broke with the company's tradition of pearl-grey machines with a simple and elegant black rectan gular box. This minimalistic box would reveal a surprise inside: a small red button amidst the key board which would serve to con trol the screen cursor. Sapper continued to oversee the ThinkPad brand as design consul tant to Lenovo after it acquired the IBM PC Division in May 2005.
Fiat concept bus 1976
Throughout his career, Sapper devoted great attention to transportation issues. He worked with Fiat on experimental cars, especially on pneumatic bumper systems, and with Pirelli on the development of pneumatic structures. In 1972, he formed with architect Gae Aulenti a study group for the development of new urban transportation systems, a theme which he pursued further for an exhibition at the XVI Triennale in Milan in 1979 and which included the design of a bus for Fiat that enabled passengers to stow their bicycles in a rack. Fiat X126 concept car 1974
His research culminated with the design of the Zoombike (no longer in production), a lightweight bicycle designed with aircraft technology to achieve the required strength and speed acceleration, which can fold as quickly and simply as an umbrella and easily fit into a car trunk.
ZOOMBIKE 1998 Elettromontaggi
1 9 7 8 C o ff e e maker 9090 ALESSI
1 9 8 3 Boiler 9091 ALESSI
1 9 8 7 Stainless Steel Teapot 'Bandung', ALESSI
1 9 9 8 Coffee Maker C o b a n ALESSI
the RED particular
Tizio Lamp Particular
2 0 1 3 Laptop ThinkPad X1 Carbon for LENOVO
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN 1960 Static Clock for Lorenz, Compasso d'Oro 1962 - TV Doney for Brionvega with Marco Zanuso, Compasso d'Oro 1963 - Lambda chairfor Gavina with Marco Zanuso 1963 - Chair for kids K-1340 for Kartell with Marco Zanuso, Compasso d'Oro 1964 - Radio TS 502 for Brionvega with Marco Zanuso 1966 - Grillo Phone for Siemens with Marco Zanuso, premio Compasso d'Oro 1965 - TV Algol for Brionvega with Marco Zanuso 1969 - TV Black for Brionvega with Marco Zanuso 1971 - Radio Match for Telefunken 1972 - Tizio Lamp for Artemide, Compasso d'Oro, iF Product Design Award 1973 - Shelf system Genia for B&B Italia 1974 - Radioregistratore Soundbook per Brionvega 1974 - Minitimer for Terraillon 1975 - Aretusa Lamp for Artemide 1975 - Tantalo Clock per Artemide 1977 - Air conditioner window type 'Verticale' for Aermec Riello Condizionatori. 1978 - Chronometer Microsplit for Heuer 1979 - Coffee maker 9090 for Alessi, Compasso d'Oro 1979 - Office Chair SapperChair Collect on per Knoll 1982 - Coffeeand tea set for Alessi 1983 - Boiler 9091 for Alessi 1984 - Flexible chair Nena for B&B Italia 1985 - Computer Laptop 5140 for IBM 1987 - Pots La Cintura di Orione for Alessi 1987 - Wristwatch Uri-Uri for Alessi 1987 - Office furniture Dalle nove alle cinque for Castelli, Compasso d'Oro 1988 - Lighting system Argo for Artemide 1988 - Office chairs System 26 for Comforto 1989 - Desk Secretaire for Molteni Unifor 1991 - Power transmission system PONTI 180/182 for Hurth Axle 1991 - Astarte Lamp for Artemide 1992 - Tea maker Bandung for Alessi 1992 - Computer Laptop ThinkPad 700 C for IBM 1995 - Cutlery RS01 for Alessi 1995 - Trays RS02 for Alessi 1995 - Computer Leapfrog for IBM, premio Compasso d'Oro 1996 - Computer Laptop ThinkPad 701 for IBM 1996 - Kyron Lamp for Artemide 1997 - Coffee Cobàn for Alessi, premio Compasso d'Oro 1998 - Stackable Chair Aida for Magis 1999 - Laser Handle for Olivari 2000 - Computer Netvista X40 for IBM 2000 - Folding Bike Zoombike for Elettromontaggi, premio Compasso d'Oro 2001 - Computer Netvista X41 for IBM 2001 - Folding Table Aida for Magis 2002 - Espresso Cup RS07 for Alessi 2002 - Computer 1560 for IBM 2003 - Dialog 1 Pen for Lamy 2003 - Shelf system Meta for Robots 2004 - Todo Grater for Alessi 2005 - LED Halley Lamp for Lucesco, NeoCon Gold Award prize 2006 - Coffee Maker ARS09 for Alessi 2007 - Computer Laptop ThinkPad Reserve Edition for Lenovo 2007 - Tosca Chair for Magis 2008 - Knives La Cintura di Orione for Alessi 2009 - Knives series da steak La Cintura di Orione for Alessi 2010 - Monitor hanging system Sapper Collection for Knoll 2012 - Peppermill Tonga for Alessi 2012 - Monitor hanging system XYZ for Knoll 2013 - Computer Laptop ThinkPad X1 Carbon for Lenovo
X 11
1963 - Chair for kids K-1340 for Kartell with Marco Zanuso
1987 - Office furniture Dalle nove alle cinque for Castelli
1991 - Power transmission system PONTI 180/182 for Hurth Axle
2014 Compasso d'oro to the carreer “for having joined the German rigor and Italian genius in designing a multitude of great products and great success in areas very distant from each other.”