1973 Ariante Fan by Vortice
A great example of how design can elevate an object from simple and utilitarian to sublime. The Ariante fan is the perfect representation of it's designer's philosophy: Compact, precise and useful.
Marco Zanuso was an Italian architect, editor, professor, and of course, industrial designer. He was part of the prolific group of designers from Milan shaping the design world of the 1950's through the 1970's. The rise of new materials and manufacturing techniques, combined with increased disposable income and consumerism led to a wide variety of innovative, beautiful and interesting products. Designers and companies were more willing to flex their creativity, consumers demanded better products and the manufacturing infrastructure was there to meet the demand. The Ariante fan was born at this time.
Designed by Zanuso for Vortice in 1973, the simple table fan made use of an ABS plastic housing, as compared to earlier designs, which used a wire frame. The entire shell was made rectangular as opposed to circular, giving it a distinctly modernist look. The grille slats were made at a 45 degree angle, as opposed to a standard grid, which gave it sense of drama as well. The use of ABS (Cyclovac ABS in this case) also allowed the use of unusual, incredibly glossy colors, such as red and white, which, combined with the rectangular frame and angled slats made for an incredibly modern, minimalist aesthetic.
Though it was minimal, it wasn't without well thought out details. A handle doubled as a stand, allowing the fan to be easily carried, but also easily angled. The Vortice logo was debossed directly into the plastic housing, ensuring that the brand name would last as long as the device itself.
Zanuso made a habit of elevating mundane products into works of art through beautiful, thoughtful design, and over the years, produced some amazing products, and picked up a number of design awards as a result. Today, objects like the Ariante show that even the most basic of products can be made into design masterpieces.