When in 1949 Ignazio Gardella began working on one of his most famous pieces of architecture, the apartment complex at Via Marchiondi 7 in Milan, designed with Anna Castelli Ferrieri and Roberto Menghi, every last detail was skilfully crafted. Olivari was involved for the production of the door handles, and this collaboration – centred on an idea of architecture in which every part, no matter how small, contributed toward the aim of an organic whole – led to the creation of the Garda series.