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In Italy, the origin of coffee machine dates back to November 1901, when the patent of the first model, designed by engineer Luigi Bezzera(>>), was registered in Milan. It was a column-shaped and imposing machine, which for a long time became a set pattern for all the other subsequent Italian manufacturers. Even before that date, the habit of drinking this beverage in public bars or cafés was well established, but what essentially used to distinguish a home coffee-pot from that used in a bar was only its size.
The idea of realizing a steam-mechanism sprang up simultaneously to the beginning of the process of mechanization, which had characterized industrial design since the nineteenth-century and which had profoundly marked mass-production, as well as the habits and practices of so many people. As in the second half of the nineteenth-century, household appliances such as washing-machines, vacuum cleaners and dishwashing machines had already been designed and realized to improve the quality of domestic life, it is easy to think that even in the catering industry and, particularly, in the coffee distribution sector, there was the desire of optimising the preparation and consumption of this beverage by using the most appropriate and modern technology. In France, for example, Eduard Loysel de la Lantais had studied a model not only suitable for household use, but also for public places of refreshment and catering. With his device, it was possible to prepare in a short time several coffee cups. Yet the dimensions of these primitive machines were huge and few examples were manufactured. Generally, these prototypical devices were still too far away from those models which in the future would make the Italian production famous all over the world.
The first marketed Italian model, after its patent being registered, represented an important change in the industry evolution. Engineer Bezzera had not only created a functioning mechanism, but had also marked future production by introducing the so-called “column-shaped body” of coffee machines, made of copper and brass and with a cylindrical form. According to the “philosophy” of this model, the mere technical aspect had to be accompanied by a splendid exterior design, in connection with its functional and decorative purposes, as the machine had an imposing presence in the room and might function as a catalyst to new potential customers. As its steam boiler was vertical, it is obvious that for functional purposes the column-shaped body was considered as the most logical and appropriate solution for the construction of the machine body. At the same time, the elegance of the resulting mass volume, decorated with shining materials and relief motifs, made the machine stand out of the counter by imposing its presence in the room of the bar or café.
After the opening phase of Bezzera and the subsequent works by La Pavoni, following this extremely important innovative trend, new companies arose in the industry. During the course of the years the products of these new companies were received and approved by a large public, thanks to the adoption of technical solutions which granted the optimisation of coffee preparation. Among the first companies, Victoria Arduino should be mentioned. The brand was founded in Turin by Pier Teresio Arduino, who was responsible for the introduction of some technical improvements and, above all, for having built up an excellent and vast marketing organization which permitted to his company to distribute its coffee machines in almost all the cafés of the world.
However, from a merely formal point of view, up to that time a real evolution had not occurred yet. As matter of fact, the production of the column-shaped model had continued, even with some irrelevant variations, for almost fifty years. With respect to those models, the most important aspect to underline is its elegant design, which had to respond to the requirements of their final destination, mainly sumptuous public places of catering. The very first models showed the feeble traces of Art Nouveau patterns, which were imported into Italy from countries of central and northern Europe, where this form of art had obtained a vast consent. During the course of the years, the exterior design moved gradually towards Deco forms to follow the stylistic evolution which had progressively influenced each artistic and creative sector. Then the column-shaped body was firstly decorated with floral, enamel and bronze motifs by skilled craftsmen and later with geometric and stylised patterns, more appreciated by the new fashion. The Italian autarkic period contributed by giving the designers the cue for realising a combination of rationalistic elements (with no excess of decoration) with the artistic correctness imposed by the Fascist codified design.
Apart from the aesthetics of these models and even in consideration of the single machine improvements, the coffee preparation with these steam devices could not guarantee good results, as the coffee was often too bitter. Only at the end of the ‘40s, the problem was resolved, thanks to the introduction of an important technical change – the piston mechanism. The innovation was fundamental as the new models could function without steam and could prepare an infusion of just powdered coffee and boiling water. The result was a real “coffee cream”, more aromatic, full-bodied and denser than the previous espresso coffee. The new machine was in practice, with some obvious differences, a sort of automatic Neapolitan coffee-maker. Among the most famous brands which used such mechanism, there was Gaggia, with its model Classica of 1948.
After these technical and stylistic innovations, numerous small companies rose and developed in Italy, which are now considered as less famous, but not less important, than companies such as Bezzera, La Pavoni, Victoria Arduino, La Cimbali, La San Msrco, Universal, Faema and Gaggia. There were dozens of these small companies producing machines which were characterized by an interesting stylistic profile in accordance with the taste of the then current fashion.
The American import streamline, which involved various production sectors with particular emphasis on the motorcar industry and on the household appliances industry (e.g. the electric mixer and the refrigerator), also affected coffee preparation. Winding and curvaceous forms and carters with certain similarities with car or juke box details were imported without functional reasons. Generally, in those models, the spectacular exterior design surpassed the level of the technical functioning and mechanism. The numerous solutions offered in a wide range of decorative patterns which had a sure impact on the customers are just a proof. After all, coffee was and is still today the product most demanded in bars or cafés and thus the machine aesthetical appearance had to be inviting.
Between the late ‘40s and the early ‘50s, the actual needs and the new principles of industrial design in each sector urge espresso machine manufacturers to take a new direction towards a more quantity industrial production on a larger scale and for a wider market. For the Italians (but not only) coffee was and is a daily rite and was consumed by an ever increasing number of people in bars or cafés. After the hard post-war period, the consequent direction towards a mass production on a large scale and the strong desire for innovation and experimentation lead manufacturers to turn to architects and designers for realizing products in accordance with the new market requirements. In Italy, the years after World War II were marked by what are considered as the absolute masterpieces of Italian design, such as Vespa and Lambretta motorcycles or Marco Zanuso’s experimental production with foam rubber for Arflex, by the arrival of plastics and by the birth of Kartell. Accordingly, the coffee machine industry could appreciate some changes too, thanks to La Pavoni company which started a collaboration with designer Gio Ponti, one of the key figures in the twenty-century design (in architecture, design and interior design). His contribution was fundamental for the history of espresso machine: from that moment, after almost fifty years from its origin, the coffee machine changed radically. With him, Pavoni realized the first machine with horizontal boiler which gradually substituted the previous version with vertical boiler. In this model, Gio Ponti did not limit himself to design an elegant body, but he wanted also to put into evidence the function of each single part, by emphasizing its components and by giving “aerodynamic forms” to the parts which had to wrap and contain the power supply units. This machine, a real “celebration” to the Italian espresso coffee, is still nowadays one of the hardest and most valuable pieces to find for its inherent historical aesthetic value.
After the collaboration with Gio Ponti, Pavoni created other interesting models with arch. Alberto Rosselli and eng. Luigi Fornaroli, such as the well-known Brasilia range of 1961. In addition, the same Gio Ponti, also founder and director of the magazine Domus, one of the most accredited monthly publications on architecture since the ‘30s, founded on behalf of Pavoni an award contest to create a new model. The competition was instituted thanks to the support of his own magazine, Casabella, another established magazine, and of “Stile e Industria”, the newly founded magazine on industrial design directed by Alberto Rosselli. The winning product still represents today another masterpiece in the Italian coffee machine history – the model named Concorso (later defined as “Diamante”), created by Bruno Monari and Enzo Mari. The body of this new machine was made of pressed sheet which was characterized by a variable aggregation, a design element much appreciated by both the designers and which was the origin of many other successful projects, such as the system of lighting named “Aggregato”, realized by Enzo Mari for Artemide. This element was extremely practical as it allowed to change the colour combinations and the number of these devices according to the length of the machine.
In 1961, Italian industry developed a wide range of interesting models, which are described in the chapter “Repertoire” together with photographs and technical schemes dated up to 1962. After that production, Faema launches on the market the well-known E-61, named after the solar eclipse occurred in that year. The E-61 is still nowadays one of the commonest coffee automatic distribution machines. With its mechanism coffee preparation changed completely and for the first time the standard still used today was introduced.
The model Pitagora, a classical by the brothers Castiglioni, Achille and Piergiacomo, is of 1962. Thanks to this model, the designers of the manufacturing company, La Cimbali, were granted the highest Italian reward for a design project - the award “Il Compasso d’oro”.
The impact of this new product was so deep that it is considered now as another important step in the history of Italian coffee machine, and, in this book, the last one to be relevant for a discussion. With the ability and craftsmanship which distinguish all their works, the brothers Castiglioni succeeded in realizing a locked carter for coffee machines. This innovation could offer an unprecedented good level of maintenance and an easier production process. A new way of conceiving and creating bar coffee machines was introduce.
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