Cordivari Design’s Window: from academic project to award winning product

Widows is a bathroom radiator by Cordivari Design with a unique history: it is the product of a collaboration between the Università Europea del Design of Pescara, active in the creative sectors of Fashion, Graphics, and Design. The partnership comes from the desire of promoting ideas that are free from any technical and artistic limitations and challenged the students on the topic of radiators and the interaction between Man and “Domestic System.” The young designer of the winning project, Beatrice De Sanctis, talked to us about her personal take on the design: “It all started from a university course that was aimed at aiding us in gaining experience within a company. Cordivari Design had joined the list of possible companies, so we started to study the radiator field and in particular the Brand. Among our students’ designs, the company opted for Window. Soon after, I saw the prototype become a real functioning object, and that’s how something I simply drew on a piece of paper took shape. Of course, I am thrilled with everything that Window has achieved; I believe that its strengths are its simple shape, its practicality, and its adaptability to different environments.” Beatrice De Sanctis’s concept, which is now undergoing production, was shared with the Cordivari Design’s R&D department, which has improved the thermal performance of the radiator while keeping the original design concept. 

The design boasts innovative characteristics such as modularity, tridimensionality, customization, and ergonomics, all details that amplify its value in relation to the usability and expendability of the product itself. The designer explained her project’s strengths: “In my opinion, the aspect that most characterizes Widows is its tridimensionality, as its use determines a different configuration of the object. The user takes part in its transformation, from radiator to towel warmer. Another important element to mention is its customizability: its structure prompts the combination of two colors, which both define the aesthetics of the product and the environment in which it is placed, making Window adaptable to different contexts. Ina way, the interaction between object and user creates a connection that goes beyond the simple function of the radiator, which is accentuated by its double-function option, enhancing and exploiting to the fullest even the smallest bathrooms.” In 2020, the Cordivari Design radiator won the IF Design Award, and in 2022 it was awarded the Red Dot Award and was included in the ADI Design Index. These awards are proof of the importance of virtuous and experimental initiatives that support the work of young people and new ideas.