One of the constant issues in designing functional products is to make sure that they are pleasing to the eye. This may not always be possible, but certainly a challenging opportunity. Furthermore, in our case, domestic appliances are being fitted into modular kitchens and must somehow blend or contrast with their natural environment. When I was given the task of designing a new range of unique kitchen appliances, I started to work on the principle that a range concept was needed, rather than individual appliances. The result – The OMBRA design! Minimalism brought to the extreme, using the simplicity of lines to define the empty central space. Using nothing, or very little, to define the specific product. So, first came the oven, then the dishwasher – two almost identical, clean outer shapes. The concept was then extended to the ceramic hob and to the overhanging extractor in glass and steel. Four products, one look – a kitchen concept! – Alberto Solari, Architect