Ettore Sottsass Jr Thought Outside the Box.

I have to confess that, probably like you, I had never heard of Ettore before, until I read of his passing on Dec.32, 2007 at the age of 90.

Ettore, the son of an Italian architect, made his name in the 60’s as an industrial designer for Olivetti. Through colour, form and styling, he managed to bring office equipment into the realms of popular culture.

He designed Olivetti’s electronic equipment, typewriters and office furniture. He also helped revolutionise the earlier thinking that a machine is merely a box, by introducing bright, colour- coded controls, etc.

What about us? You and Me? Do we tend to take simple things like Computers, and office equipment, or anything else for that matter for granted, without recognising further possibilities?

Do we just see necessary “Boxes” in our everyday life? Or like Ettore, can we see outside the Boxes, and see further potential in the everyday things around us? Can you? I probably have to admit here that that is probably not my talent, but maybe it is yours, only you still need to find this out? What say you? What everyday life “Box” can you “colourize” today?

Ettore Sottsass Jr Thought Outside the Box, can you? Over to you for comment.