Interview about Lavazza Inovy Mini Coffee Machine, winner of the A' Home Appliances Design Award 2022
Inovy Mini is part of a a new range of espresso machines developed by Lavazza especially for the professional segment. It is the smallest of these machines and mainly intended for small offices and hotel rooms. The design is an evolution of Lavazza's form language in this business channel. It has a more serious, professional colour scheme but is still recognizably Italian in execution and finish. In some markets the product is also known as Classy Mini and Elogy Mini is a special version for home use.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThanks. But to be honest, I'd actually be really tempted to say that the aesthetic part is actually very much informed and supported by the functionality of the product. Beauty is nothing without function, you know?
The side shells are really important as they're defining the volume of the machine and I'm very happy how the shape develops in space. The borders are defined by a precise chamfer fascia that runs all around the edges. The three dimensional logos on the side are something that we integrate very often. It is one of our iconic design elements that we use to visually tie the different products together.
My background in automotive design is very important in the way we approach product design at Lavazza Group. I've learned a lot about proportions, surfacing and detailing when working at Centro Stile Fiat. I've been building on that and apply everything I know on our products. Admittedly they are a lot smaller and maybe less complex, but I'm still pushing for that same level of sophistication.
In this case the circular chrome ring is an important feature as it underlines and emphasises the user interface. But most importantly the chrome ring allowed us to visually complete a product family with a much smaller an simpler model. Every one of the bigger product has a chrome ring, so it was obvious that Inovy Mini needed to have it too.
I'd say not so much a single decision, but the close and direct collaboration with colleagues from the technical development was truly key in achieving this short development time and also the relatively compact dimensions. These are crucial in small offices and hotel rooms and we optimised the technical package together.
We had almost all of these signature design elements already developed on previous, bigger models and as a reference. So we just had to find an appropriate way to adapt them to the Inovy Mini and it's compact proportions. In the end it was really quite straight forward and also explains the short overall development time.
In this case we really focussed on the most important things and made sure these core functions were performed properly and the quality of the coffee was as exceptional as it should be. We optimised and improved the internal layout as much as possible. So Inovy Mini makes great coffee, while still having a super compact footprint.
I'd like to believe it's the combination of a solid and well executed design together with a clear positioning of the product on the market and also within the wider Lavazza product range. One specific design element that I personally like a lot, is the way the side panels move upwards at the front and then move around and visually embrace the metal lever on top. I'm quite satisfied and proud of this feature.
In our design process we always aim to use the most appropriate materials for the specific task at hand. We also wanted to highlight the most important touchpoints with regards to the user experience. This is why we used metal accents for important areas like the handle, around the user interface and on the cuprest.
Our design language is a direct expression of our brand identity and our values. It is incredibly important for us, now and in the future. However it is not a static thing. We will continue to build on it, and it will evolve together with every new product we design. And herein lies also the influence of Inovy Mini on the future of our professional coffee equipment.
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