Door handle CONO

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In the mid-1950s, the fruitful working relationship between Ernesto Olivari and Gio Ponti led to the creation of three models of door handles, the Lama, the Cono and the Anello. Ponti’s most famous building, the Pirelli skyscraper (1952-1961), was fitted with the Lama handles made in aluminium, analogue to other components used in the building. The Cono handle was used for his spectacular Villa Planchart (1953-1957) in Caracas, Venezuela. The Cono’s profile was a sculptural reproduction of the diagram of forces involved in operating the handle, and thicknesses were reduced to a minimum. Its main characteristic is the shape of the rose around which the handle rotates: it is a continuation of the shaft. This results in an aesthetic unity that required particular skill from the cabinetmaker installing them.