"Bettina" table service by Jan Kaplicky - Future Systems
The "Bettina" table service, certainly Alessi's most innovative design in this area, took a long time to complete. It was designed by Future systems, the architects who, you may remember, were also asked to work on "Tea & Coffee Tiwers" (2003). In particular, one of the most peculiar and curious charcteristics is glassware which consists of two separate parts, the cup is crystal clear glass and the base is PMMA.
The design makes them appear to be a single element but at the same time the ritual of separating the cup from the base and placing it in the hand prompts to find a new approach to drinking, a contemplative one that provokes more awareness of one's gestures.
"I'in more than satisfied and pleased with this result. It is an outcome after a hard that required over 4 years to be developed... Every single piece reflects a specifie design philosophy of and Future Systems'. Beauty, flexibility, praticality. Pieces with lon life ahead. They are not fashionable and maybe the multiple functionality of the line will generate larger interest by wider groups of people...
Talking about product design, it's a very dangerous area where you have to be very careful: everything is more visible, every millimetre matters-even half-millimetre matters. On the other band, it is an amazing test of your capabilities. The are very well known architects who can't design a small thing: they are not patient enough. I am not caying we can, but certainly we try to bring something new. Something that survives a few years and is not a fashionable product that disapprears the next morning." (Jan Kaplicky - Future Systems)
Cutlery set in 18/10 stainless steel.