area 115 | concrete

location: France, Switzerland

a double interview to 5.5 designers and Anne-Claude Truchement Nespresso project manager

5.5 designers
Laura Andreini: How did your collaboration with Nespresso proceed? Have you enjoyed ample freedom in the creative process, or did you develop your designs on the basis of the indications and requests received from the marketing management?
5.5: As with every project, the client presents a more or less clear ‘brief‘ of his expectations; it is our job to interpret it, in order to conceive it. In the case of Nespresso the programme was sufficiently vast to allow us ample space for creativity. To put it briefly, the range of accessories had to accompany a machine (Pixie): a small gem of technology, youthful, compact, problem-free and up to date. These values have therefore represented the basis of our creativity. The collection had to comprise cups, teaspoons, capsule distributors, trays: everything that hinges on a Nespresso moment. Furthermore, there was what we wanted to do with the Nespresso company, our finger in the pie, our values, which were already perfectly suited to the machine and the world of Nespresso. This is probably why they have sought us out. We correspond, as persons, to the target Nespresso wants to reach.
L.A.: What do you think about working with such a big and important company as Nestlé?
5.5: We really have not realized that it was a matter of Nestlé, because the Nespresso brand has an autonomous organization within the group. But even just to know that we were about to design for Nespresso represented a great opportunity for us: we really could not miss it. This kind of collaboration does not happen every day, and we have always admired the very concept of the brand, its development, the way it has broken new ground and its interest for design. In short, we were already “hooked” consumers of Nespresso! On the other hand we were also concerned about having to measure swords with such an imposing reality, we were afraid that we would not be able to control everything, and that our ideas would be crushed and ground under the weight of the hierarchies. But in the end, the opposite has been the case, the size of the company is proportionate to its needs and we have therefore been able to venture further than if we were to have worked with a small company, that couldn’t have afforded the luxury of investing so much money in the development of a product. Another attractive aspect is the diffusion of these products: they will be sold in all the shops of the company, all over the world. And it is fascinating, for a designer, to imagine that his creation will be reproduced in such important quantities, to think that such a lot of people may use an object ideated by us, and this is only possible when working with such important companies. The most enthusing aspect of this experience has been the fact of collaborating with the brand in a crucial moment of its history, because in 2010 the first capsules of the competitors appeared in the market. Even if this has seemed a positive factor to Nespresso – since their coffee is much better and the consumer has thus had a term of comparison – we have found it scandalous that another company has taken itself the liberty to copy such a mythical product with neither scruples nor ethics. Be that as it may, this undoubtedly shows the force of a form, and consequently of the design, because in our opinion the Nespresso concept is based precisely on an iconic design, and it is by copying this form that some people hope to earn as much money. And to defeat those who try to copy the famous capsule and the Nespresso world, we have decided, with the Pixie collection, to render homage to all the iconic elements of the brand.
L.A.: How have you organized the collaboration with Nespresso?
5.5.: The initial phases have been imposed. As a first step we had to submit a project for a competition, where we competed with two other international agencies which had been considered for the design of the Pixie collection. In general we do not like to participate in competitions, because we think the human commitment we dedicate to our projects is not very appreciated with this formula. But in this case we could not let such an excellent opportunity pass us by, and we have therefore accepted without worrying too much, because we knew in our heart of hearts that we would win, because we had clear ideas already at the end of the first meeting. Later we have been able to visit the plant where the capsules are produced: a monster of logistics that leaves one speechless... but a good source of inspiration. The exchanges took place by mail, by phone and in person, with regular appointments to examine the prototypes and take stock of the progress made.
L.A.: Have you worked with an internal technical department of Nestlé, in charge of the technical aspects, or have you followed the elaboration of the project to the end, down to the smallest details? Have you worked with prototypes, or with drawings?
5.5.: To give the collection its final touches we have collaborated with many departments of Nespresso, first of all the marketing service and in particular with Anne-Claude Truchement, who has been our main liaison. We have been introduced to coffee experts, because we had to learn a lot to improve the products with all the rigour characterizing the brand. There have been many reactions concerning the forms we have designed, because they influenced the way the coffee tastes, its colour and temperature. For instance, the bottom of the cup had to be round in order for the cream to develop correctly as the coffee descends; or the space between the two layers in stainless steel had to be sufficient for the cup to retain the heat without burning the hands of the person holding it. For the development we were soon put in direct touch with the manufacturers, in order to understand the problems associated with industrial production. Also in these moments of confrontations one must be able to allow the ideas to evolve, to react and to suggest solutions. And the marketing department of Nespresso has trusted us completely with regard to all the technical aspects, and we have liaised continuously during the entire development. It was important for us, in this project, to arrive at the finished product, and not merely define an initial idea. There is a long way to go from the idea to the final product, and it is bristling with obstacles which one must be able to tackle to reach a high quality result. This is an aspect of the work that we like; it is us who have wanted to follow the industrial application down to the smallest details, because it is important to understand the whole process, to make sure that the final product meets our expectations. For instance, the idea of a capsule-shaped cup has been a very exciting starting point, which has been shared by everyone, even if about twenty prototypes have been necessary to realize it. At first we thought of beginning by using two shells in aluminium, like the coffee capsules, but we have encountered a problem of fragility, and difficulties in assembling the two parts. We have also thought of glass, like thermoses. But the prototypes were not convincing. There have been tests on alimentary aspects of the colours, and various passages in the dishwasher. And finally, the manufacturing process calls for more than sixteen industrial processing phases! In short, a lot of steps before this cup, that looks so simple, can arrive in our kitchens.
And the same process has been followed for all the objects of the collection. We have always followed through with the prototype phase, all the way to the “item 1” of the industrial mould. It is impossible to settle for a drawing. We work in 3D, and so the images are very realistic, but at the same time deceptive, because one is not always aware of the scale of an object. And then, when the prototypes arrive, we handle them, observe them, down to the smallest details: the proportions, the swing radius, the traces of the machines, the colours, the weight, the overall shape, the assembly of the parts, the materials... without forgetting to test them! All these aspects are as many elements that must be verified or questioned, until one is satisfied. And the formidable thing in our collaboration is that all parties involved have shared the same desire to create these objects.
L.A.: With regard to materials, have you been free to chose those that best satisfied your personal research, or have they been dictated by the company itself?
5.5.: We have immediately thought of aluminium, because it is in the DNA of the brand. This is why many objects in the collection are in aluminium. But it was not technically possible to use this material for the cups, and the aesthetic result was not good. Then we have sought other solutions, as ceramics, then Nespresso spoke of stainless steel as an alternative. We made prototypes to test it, and it proved to be the right choice.
L.A.: Are you planning other objects for Néstlè or has the collaboration come to an end?
5.5.: We have no intention of stopping now that we have come so far! We like the idea of not being content with making a media hit with the great brands; on the contrary, we want to build relations over time, that make it possible to found things that are lasting, in this society which is running too fast and which is zapping all the time.
Design and creativity needs time, and one must be able to trust the designer on a long-term basis, to obtain the greatest advantages. Nespresso has understood this very well: in fact, they have worked with the same designer for the machines since the beginning of their history, and it is no coincidence that the last Pixie vaunts such an excellent performance. It is a kind of synthesis of twenty years of work!
L.A.: What projects are you working on, and with what companies?
5.5.: We are collaborating with the SEB group, and in particular with Moulinex, for which we are designing small household appliances, and this is another enthusing challenge. We are working for Oberflex, for which we have already designed a range of acoustic panels two years ago. And we continue working for Skitch, Lacie. We will soon design bathroom items for Ceramica Cielo and furniture for wooden houses for RIKO. In a more distant future we will design: a wine bottle, a yoghurt cup, mincemeat, a bicycle, candies, a cookie, mothercraft products, glasses, shoes, watches, a car, and so on. To know more, you would have to ask our crystal ball. But we promise: once we have designed every object at least once, we will stop.... Let’s say that we still have plenty of time. And then one must also take Starck’s forthcoming retirement into account!
Nespresso
Laura Andreini: When was Nestlé’s interest in “coffee for connoisseurs”, and the consequent creation of Nespresso, born?
Anne-Claude Truchement: It already began in the Seventies. Ever since then Nestlé has understood that there was a demand for high-quality pre-dosed coffee, basing its work on an important principle: placing technology at the service of taste. Nespresso was founded in 1986 and its history began with a simple but revolutionary idea: to allow everyone to prepare a perfect espresso, distinguished by its intense aroma, its rich taste and its thick and smooth cream, just like the one made by an Italian barman. One has proceeded further, proposing an ingenious system that made it possible to unite the efficiency of a high-pressure (19 bar) pump to a capsule that made the preparation simple, practical and intuitive. This is how Nespresso has opened the market of pre-dosed, high quality coffee: by offering a perfect coffee that consumers all over the world could prepare at home, in a very comfortable way.
L.A.: Has the involvement of important design firms been a requirement of the company’s marketing strategy from the start, or is this a more recent idea?
A-C. T.: Nespresso has always shown great interest in creativity, and more in particular in design, as it is a discipline that combines ergonomic conception (aimed at a simple and intuitive functionality) and an attractive appearance.
L.A.: Do you give your designers free reins, or are you open to proposals that may arrive from professionals with different experiences?
A-C. T.: When we provide creative professionals with a brief, the principle is above all to give them a framework within which to express themselves. In an early phase we outline a scenario (that is to say, the universe of the brand, the goal, the typology of the products and the technical requirements), then we let them explore it and to come back with their first creative approaches. Then we review these initial ideas together, to place the work back into the framework, prioritizing approaches that are suited to the correct stylistic and ergonomic lines, those that respect the DNA of the brand, its positioning and the desired goal.
L.A.:  Do the designers work autonomously while developing a project or is there a continuous confrontation with the company’s technical department?
A-C. T.: In fact, there is a very regular and intense exchange, first with the marketing department, during the creative phase, and then, during the development, also with the technical department; this makes it possible to nurture the project, to enrich the relations and to optimize the results. We are very demanding and ask them to work with a number of parameters that are important for purposes of improving the product, or in other result the final result in the cup. This entails limits, which however often prove to be a true source of inspiration for the designers!
L.A.: How did the collaboration between Nespresso and 5.5 designers come about, and why has a large corporation like yours chosen to resort to a young French firm?
A-C. T.: We are in constant touch with the design milieu, we keep up to date on current developments, paying special attention to observing growing talents. When we work on projects that entail a high level of innovation, we try to reconsider the approach to the products from scratch, to venture beyond any possible limits of exploration, and it is precisely for these projects that we keep looking for young talents. The 5.5, which have been keeping an eye on for several years, is perfectly suited to this specific assignment.
L.A.: For how long has your company been involving important design firms for the design of the Nespresso accessories?
A-C. T.: We began working with designers about twenty years ago. This collaboration has become more intense for the products of the collection – and this has become more visible to the general public – since 2005, when we launched the first Nespresso Design Contest, within the context of the Furniture Salon of Milan.
L.A.: How often do you renew the range of Nespresso accessories?
A-C. T.: We always assure it is evolved at regular intervals, but since 2008 we have launched a project aimed at truly repositioning the range. We wanted to introduce a new vision for the collections, to clearly express the evolution of Nespresso and to “materialize” the transition from “café expertise” to a true “café experience”. This has been achieved by reinforcing our bonds with the design world, in order to enhance the pioneering spirit that is a central feature of the brand. On the other hand we wanted to stress the exclusivity of our offer, basing it on products that made an emotional impact and vaunted even more important innovative characters, at the same time consolidating a style that has asserted itself through products featuring the Nespresso label, which have renewed the rituals of coffee tasting.
L.A.: With what design firms have you collaborated in the past and who are you planning to involve after 5.5 designers?
A-C. T.: We have worked with a certain number of designers and illustrators in the past; these collaborations have resulted in the marketing of new products; for instance Javier Mariscal, Werner Jeker, Antoine Cahen, Olivier Gagnère, Konstantin Grcic, Alexis Georgacopoulos, Christian Ghion, Olivia & Andrée Putman, Big Game, Onze Dixième, Olivia Giacobetti (perfumery: olfactory designer!) and 5.5 Designers. We have also been in contact with Barber & Osgerby within the context of our project with ECAL (MAS Luxe) and other personalities, also in connection with our design competitions: Patrick Norguet, Ineke Hans, Matali Crasset, Alfredo Häberli.