SOM’s Valli & Valli Alina Hardware Collection is competing among 16 metal samples, doors, and other architectural products in Interior Design’s Best of Year awards competition. The annual awards program recognizes interior projects and products across the world, and is holding online public voting for products through Saturday, October 20th.
For SOM’s latest installment on the Valli & Valli line, the motion and the mechanics of a door lever were examined at its foundation. To understand the design criteria and requirements among different program functions ranging across transportation, institutional, education, workplace, hospitality, and residential, SOM conducted a survey of 350 architects and designers. The analysis of the survey results, together with comprehensive research, led to the development of a “Design Ethos” for the Alina Collection. The ethos centers around minimal use of material, integration of all parts of the handle, sensitivity to diverse contexts, and personalization.