Desk Objects

Alessi / 2001

This family of objects consisting of a paper-clip holder, a tape-dispenser, and a letter-opener are the first series of desk accessories for Alessi and are designed for use at home or at work. Their animated images are not derived from formal aspects but rather from their natural functionality; similar to the face you see in a light switch due to the position of the switch and the screws, or the ludic gesture of a teapot based on the form of the handle and the spout. The magnetized stem of the ‘Clip-tree’ rises to present paper-clips similar to leaves on a tree making them easier to pick. The ‘Quack’ reflects the image of a duck merely because of the geometry of dispensing and accessing the tape. And, the character of ‘Ali-the-gator’s’ mouth is based on protecting the blade and picking up the letter-opener.