Defined by Alessandro Mendini as “the most advanced collection of household goods in the world” (“Paesaggio casalingo”, 1979), “Programma 8”, which as we know is a radical revision of table and kitchen service products with the emphasis on maximum practicality and flexibility of use, was revisited and completed in 2005, adding the preserving function to those of cooking and serving.
Around the original and key product created in 1975, the stainless steel tray, others such as ceramic containers, oil and vinegar cruets, salt and pepper castors, serving cutlery and a wooden cutting board have been developed. The project is now being completed with the missing sizes of trays (with the addition of grates) and chopping boards, with new covers for the square chopping board and ceramic containers, with the small glass container, porcelain soup bowl and melamine placemat. The basic table set is thus complete.
Sargiani Franco
An architect, he was born in Modena in 1940 and graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at Milan Polytechnic. After an early experience at Studio Morassutti and numerous training periods abroad, in England, Sweden, Finland and Denmark in particular, where he came into contact with some of the most distinguished design and production centres in those countries, he began his autonomous professional activity by opening a Studio in Milan. His interventions range from civil architecture to industrial and interior architecture, from industrial design to corporate image organisation, the latter often in collaboration with Eija Helander. He has taught industrial and visual design at the Scuola Politecnica e di Design, run by Nino Di Salvatore. He has collaborated with numerous other companies, including Alessi, Fantini, Filasp, Fidenza Vetraria, Inda, Emicar, Sipea… His designs have been published in books and specialised magazines, have been selected for the Golden Compass Award and have been presented in numerous museums, including the Beaubourg in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tel Aviv Art Museum, the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, the Museum of Applied Art in Helsinki, the Kunst Museum in Dűsseldorf, the Milan Triennial, etc. His creations can be found in the permanent collections of the Milan Triennial, the Museo de Arte de Sao Paolo in Brazil, the Kunstgewerbemuseum SMPK in Berlin, the Kunstmuseum in Dűsseldorf and in the Deutsches Deushes Klingenmuseum in Solingen in Germany.
Helander Eija
Designer, born in Lathi (Finland) in 1944.
After her studies, Eija embarked on a long collaboration with Marimekko, first managing its visual merchandising and later entirely coordinating its corporate image throughout Scandinavia.
She has participated in developing the settings for advertising shoots and short films, and has collaborated in the capacity of consultant with many interior décor magazines.
In 1969 she moved to Italy to work in the field of Industrial Design, creating projects for companies such as Fivep, Inda and Alessi.
In particular, with Alessi she worked with architect Franco Sargiani on the company's coordinated image and packaging.
She currently runs her own business, covering a comprehensive range of services, from interior design to advertising graphics, setting up stands and creating corporate logos.
Graphic concept, templating and develop
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