Fusital was founded in 1976 with a simple idea of combining functionality and aesthetics into a single object designed by the greatest international architects. If it's not created by an icon of design, it is not a Fusital item. One such icon of design is Antonio Citterio, who has designed for brands such as Arclinea, Axor-Hansgrohe, B&B Italia, Flexform, Flos, Hermès, Iittala, Kartel and Vitra, and received numerous industry awards and accolades.
Antonio Citterio has designed numerous handles for Fusital, but in 2000 he designed the H5015 K2 handle. (Note: Fusital have a unique labelling system in that the handle number is often suffixed with the year of creation, therefore 'K2' refers to '2000').The H5015 stainless steel handle utilised the metal fabrication technique called 'knurling'. Cross-cut knurling is a great way of adding 'grip' to a metal bar, this particular type of texture found on every day items such as tools, weightlifting bars, bmx pegs and motorcycle handlebars, so it seemed logical to add this texture to another product where grip is important, the lever handle.
At the time, this style of handle was polarising, perhaps a little too industrial for a market that was exploring more organic shapes. On reflection, it now seems that Antonio's design was well ahead of his time. Over a decade later, Buster Minale combined his passion for building custom motorbikes with his passion for architecture, and transformed ordinary household objects into extraordinary fittings using the very same knurling texture. Over the next 10 years, his brand Buster + Punch turned the cross-knurl pattern into a global industry trend, inspiring other manufacturers whilst also spawning the inevitable various replica companies exploiting his work. You wouldn't believe the audacity of some of these replica companies.
Of course, this 'new trend' means that Antonio Citterio's design could easily be mistaken for yet another replica product, which obviously isn't the case. 20 years after it was first launched, Fusital have created a solid brass version of the handle, with the new reference, the H379 AC DUEMILAVENTI.
The H379 is essentially the original-original cross-cut knurled lever handle. Now available in 3 standard colours (Dark Matt Bronze, Satin Chrome and Matt Brass) but also available in 32 other colours on request, including some unique PVD finishes that are guaranteed against corrosion, and therefore perfectly suited to Australia's coastal projects. There are two rose thicknesses, a narrow rose profile for thin framed doors, and matching window handles.
Currently specified on 3 large multi-res projects, and recently installed in a development of 33 luxury residences at an oceanfront location, the H379 is proving a popular choice for the discerning client and astute developer. The quality, properties and colour range is unmatched, and as an added bonus for the design conscious, it is authentically original.
