The Bau door-handle was designed to feature two contrasting materials, one of which is now marble.
The handle’s origins lie in a workshop organised by the long-standing German porcelain company Kober, which contacted Olivari for its technical know-how.
“We were inspired by the Bauhaus”, say Nina Ruthe and David Antonin of Design Studio Niruk.
The embryo of this idea is rooted in the Bau door-handle designed by two young German designers, Nina Ruthe and David Antonin from Studio Niruk, during a workshop organised a few years ago by a long-standing German porcelain manufacturer named Kober, to which Olivari contributed expert know-how.
The expressive shape of the Bau handle, based on rigorous geometry, emphasises the material of the grip.
Experimenting with different materials led to the idea of using marble.
Having known Paolo Carli, the owner of Henraux, for a long time, we turned to this reputable marble company for help.
Their enthusiastic reaction, and our love of the Statuario Altissimo white marble from the same quarry as the blocks hewn by Michelangelo, resulted in the Bau door-handle being made in white statuary marble.
The range also includes Marquina black marble and Versilia grey marble.
All pieces are fashioned from offcuts produced during the fabrication of much larger objects, making sure none of the valuable mineral goes to waste. — Antonio Olivari