Another Face of Italian Genius

To begin with a bold statement, by some estimates				fine pistol manufacturing, Ducati and Aprilia (owned
60 per				by
cent of the Western world's treasures are to be				Piaggio) in motorcycling and Campagnolo, Bianchi and
found within				Columbus Steel in bicycle manufacturing.Of course,
Italy's borders. Another estimate claims that Italy				high performance sports cars are synonymous
exports 45				with Italy's fascination with speed. Needless to say,
per cent of the world's luxury items. These are				Italy has
astounding				earned a racy reputation with the likes of Alfa
figures. Then again, to anybody who has been to				Romero,
Italy, these				Maserati and Ferrari to name a few
figures are not surprising.This 'geographic expression',				manufacturers.Design does not begin and end with
as it was once called, is				form in Italy. In car
essentially one giant museum of fine living. By now,				manufacturing, for example, it includes all the tiny
many of				pieces of
us are familiar with much of what Italy is famous for				metal that create the whole machine-cranks and
- from				blocks,
the fine arts of film, fashion, architecture and music				hydraulic lifters, cam shafts, bearing caps, breaks
to its				and gear
highly regarded and world renowned culinary heritage				boxes and countless other pieces. These are
with				definitely not
espresso, wine, cheese and gelato. Their sports				your run-of-the-mill machine-shop components that
culture,				make a
littered with international successes, should not be				car go- they are works of high quality art that
underestimated either.However, there is another side				complement
of Italy that does not get as				the design geniuses of Pininfarina, Zagato and
much attention: The artful ability to create works of				Michelotti.Nor does it end with moveable objects with
art from				an engine. One
cold, uninspiring elements of the post-industrial age -				would think that manufacturing bicycles does not
metal				demand
and steel. Italy is not only a purveyor of 'la dolce				technical innovation, but do not tell that to
vita' or the				cycling-mad Italy.
finer, sweeter things in life, but is equally an				Primary materials in aerodynamic bicycle
innovator in the				manufacturing
harder, sharper elements of it.Italy brought its				include carbon fibre, titanium, exotic steel and
industrial and manufacturing base to new				aluminum
heights during the 20th century. By applying creative				alloys.Lastly (and worth mentioning), in the land
and				where the
elegant design to industrial machinery mainly in the				Etruscans, Romans and Renaissance Humanists were
cities of
Torino and Milano, Italy quickly distinguished itself in				born, Italy was among the first European nations to
the				offer
post-war years as a dominant global trendsetter in				their engineering know-how in space exploration
industrial and manufacturing design.Today, Italy ranks				through
7th in the world in industrial and				the Italian Space Agency. Together with NASA, the
manufacturing output. It is a nation that conceives				Italian
performance in both man and machine. The Futurist				Space Agency takes part in various development
Art				projects.
movement is a marvelous example of this.For those				The ultimate recognition of Italy's presence in the
bemoaning today's global, mechanized				post-industrial age.After enjoying a fine Italian lunch,
cookie-cutter approach to manufacturing, look no				when asked what sets
farther				Italians apart from most cultures, a French-Canadian
than Italy; it is home to hundreds, if not thousands				restaurateur once told me in casual conversation,
of				that
companies, family dynasties and small shops devoted				Italians do not just make espresso. They make the
to				machine
the craftsmanship of the forgotten art of small				to perfect it. They also make the knives and
details.Metal? Steel? These are not things we usually				metalwork to cut
associate				their culinary creations and they produce the
with Italy. When we think about Italy it immediately				machines to
conjures				perfect the shoe. They are, in today's global
up romantic and picturesque images of Capri or				economy, fully
world class				integrated artists.An appropriate analogy would be in
ski resorts. Steel, and its efficient application of it,				film. A director's artistic
normally				vision imprints his or her distinctive style on the
brings to mind other economic powers like Germany,				story. The
				great Italian director, Federico Fellini, left his
Britain, Japan and the United States. Italy?				fingerprint on
Really?Really. It is a side of Italy I personally never				every film he made that broke with classical styles
paid close				during
attention to and was slow to realize. Buoyed by				that period. In a way, Italy's great industrial
innovative				designers have
and avant-garde engineers that perfected Italian				left a legacy reminiscent of Fellini. In this light,
industrial				perhaps
design, some of the most famous names in Italy are				those figures mentioned and their achievements on
				the
manufacturing legends. They include Piaggio (makers				onset are not that surprising.Perhaps a detailed book
of				about this subject should be
the iconic Vespa scooters) in airplane building,				considered?
Beretta in

Noralfa

Another Face of Italian Genius