colombo design: twitty by tomo kimura in sardinia

‘twitty’ by tomo kimura for colombo design image © designboom

the sleek form of the door handle by japanese designer tomo kimura, now known as ‘twitty’, was among the four winning entries of designboom and colombo’s ‘hands on door handles’ competition in 2011. kimura’s concept was awarded top ratings in the ‘free-style’ category and following the conclusion of the competition, realizing the design was so well-received by the public, colombo decided to take the handle into production.

(see the original ‘hands on door handles’ call for entries of the competition here)

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the lever, knob or button affixed to the surface of a closed portal waiting to be opened may be recognized by scholars and philosophers to be representative of an individual’s capacity to cross a threshold and plunge into the next adventure in his or her life. the symbol of a door handle, is one of endless potential or possibilities to the person who will utilize it. this object rests at a set point in space upon an easily moved barrier standing as the mechanism to reveal to the user what world lies beyond the limit line.

the colombo design door handle embodies two points of significance: one visionary and the other tactile. when the latter interpretation takes precedent over the former, the object may journey away from its resting place to exist in a setting free its own function. this next installation of designbooms’ still-life photographic series celebrates both the studied yet organic form of the ‘twitty’ handle in the foreground while also recognizing the natural beauty observed just beyond the door lever in what is ultimately a surrealistic visualization of a traveling artifact.

twitty’ explores the blooming gardens and picturesque panoramas of sardinia images © designboom

‘twitty’ is not photoshopped into the shot, but rather, is captured in sardinia’s stunning wild and man-built landscape. true to conceptual photographic still-life practice, we have removed the stick from several of the images in post-production, further melding kimura’s design for colombo into the mediterranean island’s world-renowned terrain. the reflections and light dancing across the sleek surface of ‘twitty’ are authentic and instantaneous– evoked by the handle’s surroundings in the moment the image was captured.

behind a curtain of rainbow beads exists an interior space– ‘twitty’ leads the way image © designboom

the bird is much happier to have a smooth perch to the spiky skin of a sardinian cactus plant image © designboom

the ‘twitty’ door handle by tomo kimura, for colombo speaks to two manifestations of the concept of space; both inside and outside, here or there. every space has a unique interaction with natural light. the polished lever is able to beautifully reflect the light found in any space. the images included in this colombo design series were taken by designboom on our recent trip to sardinia.

the bright sun and almost impossibly blue sky resonate with the minimalistic bird lever image © designboom

the bird handle appears to scan the horizon with a picturesque lighthouse as its backdrop image © designboom

pictured just beyond ‘twitty’ are the warm waters of sardinia’s sea while the body of the handle reflects the island’s famously rocky coastline image © designboom

in sardinia, we have captured ‘twitty’, the doorhandle by tomo kimura, outdoors. the juxtaposition of the minimalistic tool with the rugged landscape and clear sea attributed to italy’s second largest island is an authentic result — there is a tangible quality to the images, as if one could reach out to turn the handle and open a door to the bright exterior environment.

the bird lever is framed by delicate petals of pink flowers and the sturdy trunk and branches from which these blossoms have grown. in a sense, the essence of these natural forms surrounding the gleaming fixture for colombo design are mirrored in the designer’s imagining of this handle– ‘twitty’ is both refined and incredibly durable.  image © designboom

just a quick snapshot of ‘twitty’ feeling very much at home in meadows of sardinia. image © designboom

protecting the world from the fast depletion of resources has become more and more important in a global economy. one point is particularly emphasized in these efforts– the attention paid to manufacturing and production upon the environment. colombo design production processes are the result of a total attention to environmental protection. through the accurate management of these processes, the company has obtained the elite UNI EN ISO 14001 certification ‘certified environmental management system’, ensuring clients that colombo design production is completed with the environmental wellness in mind.

bon voyage! image © designboom

the company uses a finishing process borrowed from the tools industry, in which physical and mechanic features are produced to guarantee a very high performance, as far as mechanic wear, decay due to environmental and chemical agents, bright sunshine, and drastic/rapid changes in temperature are concerned. the strength of the finish and low rate of surface friction ensure an enduring resistance to scratches from jewelry or keys, for example. the durability of the handle’s finish is especially important in marine areas with high-salinity or regions subject to acid rains.

the handle’s strong finish enables the fixture to be joined to a door on the building’s exterior– this is especially important in marine areas with high-salinity or regions subject to acid rains image © designboom

being propped by a foosball table enabled twitty to spend time some quality time with friends of a similar stature image © designboom

timo kimura and ‘twitty’ image © designboom

the door handle by tomo kimura has been developed with oroplus and both matt and polished chrome finish options dimensions: handle: 140mm x 82.5mm / projection: 64mm image © designboom

the concept came to kimura while he was sitting in front of his computer looking out at the birds perched on his window sill. the poetic motif features a bird perched upon a branch, its tail formally standing in place as the door handle itself. the lighthearted and functional design brings a new life to the typically emotionless state of a door handle.

video courtesy colombo design