Platinum Home Appliances Design · 2020
Lavazza Desea Coffee Machine
- A' Design Award 2020 Platinum Winner in Home Appliances Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Lavazza
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 893,290
- Verification code 1D17C7BB79 · Verify this award
About Lavazza Desea Coffee Machine
A friendly machine designed to offer the complete package of Italian coffee culture: from espresso to authentic cappuccino or latte. The touch interface arranges the selections in two seperate groups – one for coffee and one for milk. The drinks can be personalized with boost functions for temperature and milk foam. Necessary service is indicated in the center with illuminated icons. The machine comes with a dedicated glass mug and applies Lavazza’s form language with controlled surfacing, refined details and special attention to colors, materials & finish.
This distinguished example of contemporary appliance design exemplifies the convergence of engineering precision and sculptural sensibility that characterizes the most accomplished industrial design of the early twenty-first century. The work emerges from a tradition of European design excellence that has long elevated functional objects to the status of domestic art, treating the preparation of coffee not merely as utilitarian necessity but as daily ritual deserving thoughtful aesthetic consideration. The designer demonstrates remarkable sensitivity to material expression, selecting a bronze-toned metallic finish that evokes both historical craft traditions and contemporary luxury while the contrasting matte black interface establishes clear functional hierarchy without sacrificing visual cohesion. Compositionally, the form achieves that elusive quality of appearing simultaneously inevitable and surprising, its compound curves suggesting natural growth patterns while maintaining the precision expected of technical instruments. The transparent collection vessel introduces an element of transparency that democratizes the mechanical process, inviting the user to witness the transformation of simple ingredients into crafted beverage. Particularly noteworthy is the interface design, where twin circular controls flanked by intuitive iconography transform operation into tactile pleasure, their arrangement suggesting a friendly countenance that domesticates technological complexity. The ribbed texture of the dispensing zone provides both visual interest and functional grip, demonstrating how surface treatment can serve multiple purposes simultaneously. One might consider how this object participates in broader conversations about the aestheticization of domestic life, where everyday appliances become expressions of personal taste and cultural sophistication, transforming kitchen counters into curated displays of design consciousness.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- A friendly machine designed to offer the complete package of Italian coffee culture: from espresso to authentic cappuccino or latte. The touch interface arranges the selections in groups – one for coffee, one for milk. Drinks can be personalized with boost functions. Necessary service is indicated in the center. The machine comes with a dedicated glass mug and applies Lavazza’s form language with controlled surfacing, refined details and special attention to colors, materials & finish.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 145mm / 380mm / 280mm
4,5 kg - Tags
- Lavazza, Coffee, Espresso, Cappuccino, touch interface
- Production Technology
- injection molding (ABS/SAN), glas, steel grid, painted main shell
- Design Challenge
- Much effort went into developing a shared common platform for two machines (Idola and Deséa) at the same time.
- Project Duration
- Turin, Italy
- Operation Flow
- Patented milk foaming technology, intuitive touch interface with acoustic feedback, quiet operation
- Research
- conceptual and formal research, 3D modeling, mock-ups, prototyping
- Inspiration
- The product was designed to be a natural extension of the Lavazza A MODO MIO product line. The shoulder profile of the main shell lowers the perceived height of the product and the overall design was inspired by a series of different products - examples include a vase and automotive interior controls.
Colors of Lavazza Desea Coffee Machine
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Design Interview about Lavazza Desea Coffee Machine
A friendly and sophisticated machine designed to offer the complete package of Italian coffee culture: from espresso to authentic cappuccino or latte. All while being a natural extension of the Lavazza A Modo Mio product line.
We were looking for a high end user experience and translated this into a open hearted and well resolved design.
We also worked hard to visually contain the overall dimensions of the product. This is evident in the lowered shoulder profile and the black base of the appliance.
We also worked hard to visually contain the overall dimensions of the product. This is evident in the lowered shoulder profile and the black base of the appliance.
At the moment the product is on the market and quite successful.
The complete product development - from the very first initial concept to launching the final product - took about two years.
The Lavazza A Modo Mio range needed two new products to complete the range in the upper area. Idola and Deséa were developed for that reason.
The appliance has been developed by Lavazza in Italy and is currently in production. It is an important part of the product range.
We had to develop two new products on a common platform. They represent the upper end of the range and were important to consolidate the form language of Lavazza in the area of small domestic appliances.
The product was designed and developed internally. There were several different design proposals at the beginning. After selecting the design theme the proposal was further developed and brought into production.
Deséa is the flagship of the Lavazza A Modo Mio range. Everyone who is looking for good authentic, Italian coffee - be it espresso or milk based beverages like cappuccino or latte macchiato - is part of the target group.
A well resolved design within the Lavazza A Modo Mio range. Italian design with incredible attention to detail. The directly integrates milk frother is a unique feature.
The name was developed by colleagues from the marketing department.
The design process involved everything from analog and digital sketching to 3D modeling, a series of physical mock-ups and prototypes.
The design is sophisticated and well resolved with a lots of attention to detail. And again, the integrates milk frother is a unique aspect.
The design was developed by our small in-house team in close collaboration with colleagues from the technical department.
Technology allowed us to create a solid and pleasant user experience. The touch sensitive user interface with acoustic feedback is probably the most evident part.
The design was developed based on market analysis, the target group and relevant trends.
In this particular case we had to design two design two distinct products on the same platform. Naturally this was challenging.
Design competitions play an important part in communication. They help in product and brand positioning. This is why we submit our products to these competitions.
I'd think we were able to build on previous experiences and were quite efficient as a team.
That's all.
Grand Interview about Lavazza Desea Coffee Machine
I think every user interface should have some sort of visual hierarchy in order to facilitate user interaction. The user interface of Deséa is quite complex for a coffee machine and it really seemed quite natural to arrange the selections into two distinct groups: one for coffee and one for milk based beverages.
We were looking for inspiration in many different areas when designing this product. The pronounced shoulder line is indeed inspired by a vase that I came across during the design process. I realized how the specific section would help us to achieve a lower perceived height. While the automotive controls have been an important reference for the development of the user interface.
I think it is important to design a new product in a way that it remains an expression of the values, the identity and the established form language of a brand while evolving in order to stay relevant and contemporary. Every new product should be part of the family, but still have it's very own personality and soul. This is not easy. A tricky thing.
The great thing about this special feature is the ability to foam milk directly within a dedicated glass mug. A unique and super elegant way to prepare milk based coffee beverages. The technology allows for a premium user experience and was developed by our own in-house engineering department. I use it almost every day and it works very well.
Developing a new product is always challenging. Even more so if you're working on two related products at the same time with a lot of carry over. You need to guarantee that everything works out perfectly on both sides. For both products. At the same time. This is not easy. But these obstacles can be overcome by working together across all the different functions in the development team. This is the key.
The inspiration for this exact profile section came actually from a small vase. It had a very specific shape that was also particularly elegant and inspired the final shape of Deséa's main shell.
Naturally we dedicate a lot of attention to CMF or colours, materials and finishes. On all our products. They are important aspects in product design that reflect our vision and allow an immediate and tangible expression of our values. But still, the decision making processes in product design can be tricky sometimes. Therefore it is important that the team has a shared general vision and a common understanding.
We wanted to create a premium product experience with a solid glass mug that would work from a functional point of view, but also echoes the shape of the iconic Lavazza espresso cup. In hindsight this actually seems to be the obvious choice, doesn't it?
Acoustic feedback is actually part of our wider aim for accessible, universal design. It plays an important part and we're working hard to integrate this where possible, User tests are an integral part of our development process in general and they also allowed us to refine the general user experience and the acoustic feedback.
Deséa has a lot of character and is a very important part of our current product portfolio. We already know that the design will inform and inspire a balanced vision for the future and our upcoming product development.