Starting with brass billets, the handles are forged, milled, polished, buffed, chrome-plated and hallmarked with a laser. Olivari has attained ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications. Though it uses the most advanced technology, Olivari preserves all the artisanal wisdomit has accumulated in 100 years of history.
In its century-old history, Olivari has always sought out the maximum in quality, relying on the creativity of the best designers and architects. The Olivari family has handed down its attention to details, the search for innovation, and mainly a passion for its work, from generation to generation.
In 1926, Battista is succeeded by his wife Antonietta Ramelli, one of the few women directing a company at the time. In the 1930s, the first collaboration with architects begins with Marcello Piacentini and Gio Ponti, two of the important Italian architects of the era.
Olivari works side by side not only with Gio Ponti, who designs a classic handle like Lama, but with architects of the stature of Franco Albini, Ignazio Gardella, Angelo Mangiarotti, Caccia Dominioni, and BBPR as well. These designers create superbly handsome custom handles for their buildings. Then the designs stay in the Olivari catalogue; some of them are still being manufactured.
At the same time it never stops following evolutions in technology: in 1959 it markets Bica, the world’s first anodized aluminum handle. In 1970 it introduces Boma, the first colored plastic handle. They both quickly become widely copied best-sellers.
Olivari works side by side not only with Gio Ponti, who designs a classic handle like Lama, but with architects of the stature of Franco Albini, Ignazio Gardella, Angelo Mangiarotti, Caccia Dominioni, and BBPR as well. These designers create superbly handsome custom handles for their buildings. Then the designs stay in the Olivari catalogue; some of them are still being manufactured.
Alessandro Mendini encouraged the brothers to tell their manufacturing story in the book L’architettura presa per mano. La maniglia moderna e la produzione Olivari. New prestigious contacts arrived with Vico Magistretti, Andrea Branzi, Richard Sapper, Paolo Portoghesi, Oscar Tusquets and Massimo Iosa Ghini, with whom the company established enduring bonds of friendship and design exchange.
At the same time, the technique of hot forging was introduced, and in a few years’ time it substituted die-casting entirely.
Olivari proceeded to follow its vocation for dialogue with the world of design and architecture. Exchange with the most famous designers on the Milan scene – Enzo Mari, Rodolfo Dordoni, Piero Lissoni, James Irvine and Patricia Urquiola – was flanked by collaboration with the great maestri of contemporary architecture – Shigeru Ban, Steven Holl, Toyo Ito, Daniel Libeskind, Peter Marino and Dominique Perrault. Olivari’s internal technical department presented the results of a study based on the geometric figure of the square. These handles were launched to great commercial success and acclaimed for their novelty.
New collaborations with international architects and designers were started. Handles by Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel, Ben van Berkel, Rem Koolhaas, Marcel Wanders, Ma Yangsong and Ron Gilad were added to the Olivari range.
Over the course of the last two years, Olivari has started two new lines of research. On the cultural and historical side, there is the collection Guilloché, featuring special surface decorations that embellish the handles. On the technological side, there is the series of new Super finishes, which offers designers and discerning customers ulterior expressive possibilities.
