Gio Ponti’s “Linea Diamante” Brought to Life at Grand Basel
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Gio Ponti’s “Linea Diamante” car design realized at Grand Basel, a gathering in Basel, Switzerland for lovers of all things design — especially automotive design.This year’s Grand Basel show in Switzerland hosts a spectacular world premiere in motoGio Ponti’s “Linea Diamante” Brought to Life at Grand Basel
Gio Ponti’s “Linea Diamante” car design realized at Grand Basel, a gathering in Basel, Switzerland for lovers of all things design — especially automotive design.This year’s Grand Basel show in Switzerland hosts a spectacular world premiere in motor car design. The 1953 “Linea Diamante” car by legendary architect and industrial designer Gio Ponti is finally brought to life, 65 years after it was designed at the show. “In 1953, Ponti – with his colleague Alberto Rosselli — conceived a car that was developed to design principles not yet applied in the automotive industry. Their starting point was an aerodynamic teardrop shape, but this soon developed into the more angular ‘Linea Diamante’ (Diamond Line),” the Grand Basel writes.The utilitarian aspect of the car was enhanced by the clever packaging that enabled a generously-proportioned cabin and a spacious boot.Furthermore, the neat innovation of a rubber bumper running the full circumference of the car — with spring-mounted “buffers” at the front and rear — was to be a special collaboration with the Pirelli tyre company.Originally conceived to be bodied on the chassis of an Alfa Romeo 1900 saloon car, Ponti first sought a partnership with Milan-based Carrozzeria Touring and then turned to Fiat for production of a subcompact model, but the design was rebuffed.“Throughout history, the automobile has influenced — and has been influenced by — design, architecture and the arts and ‘The Automobile by Ponti’ is an archetype of this interconnected relationship,” explains Prof. Paolo Tumminelli, chairman of Grand Basel’s Advisory Board, who initiated the project in 2017.“We are incredibly excited to show Ponti’s ‘Linea Diamante’ car as a full size model for the first time at Grand Basel. This is exactly the type of exhibit that we have promised to offer our visitors — something unexpected, which they have never seen before,” Mark Backe, Global Director of Grand Basel says.Gio Ponti (1891-1979) was an architect, industrial designer, university teacher, artist and publicist. He created numerous icons, such as the 32-storey Pirelli Tower in Milan — regarded as one of the most elegant skyscrapers in the world — and the famous “Superleggera” chair, which embodied lightness in both aesthetic and physical terms.In 1928, he co-founded the influential architecture and design magazine, “Domus”, which celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2018 and supports Grand Basel as a cultural partner.http://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more