POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Olivetti Logos 55 desk top calculator

Object No. 2012/97/1

The Olivetti Logos 55 was designed by Mario Bellini. Mario Bellini's design method seldom made use of drawing. Bellini preferred to experiment and develop models through a dialog which refined how a user might experience the object. This approach nurtured a focus on the tactile and sculptural qualities that might be realised and resulted in models that were then drawn up by technical drafting personnel. Bellini also considered a users emotional response to a product, an attitude that other great 20th century product designers understood and employed (Braun's Dieter Rams and Apple's Sir Jonathan Ive among them). Bellini's work for Olivetti from the 1970s had an enormous impact on information technology product design in the following decade. The product designs of Olivetti through the 1970s were what Steve Jobs aspired from Apple design - "Steve not only wanted our design to be the best in the computer industry, he also wanted Apple to be in the 1980s what Olivetti had been in the 1970s - an undisputed leader in industrial design." One of the most influential aspects of Bellini's philosophy, manifested in his methods and resulting designs, was the desire to suppress the technical dimension of these information products - although they are not toys they are playful and inviting. This playfulness can be observed in Ive's design work for Apple - in particular the original iMacs and iPod designs. Campbell Bickerstaff 2012 P. Kunkel quoting Lisa's co-designer Ken Campbell in "Apple Design" p28, 1997

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Summary

Object Statement

Calculator, with accessories, Logos 55, desk top calculator, plastic / rubber / metal / electronic components / paper, designed by Mario Bellini, manufactured by Olivetti, Ivrea, Italy, 1974

Physical Description

Desk top calculator with a vacuum fluorescent display on the front left and a printing mechanism which has space for a roll of paper for printing. The calculator is wedge shaped and is housed in a cream coloured plastic unit. The keys on the right front side are highlighted by red and blue surrounds. There is also a grey coloured power cord and a spare roll of paper for use with the calculator.

DIMENSIONS

Height

125 mm

Width

420 mm

Depth

270 mm

Weight

7 kg

PRODUCTION

Notes

The Olivetti Logos 55 was designed by the Italian architect and industrial designer Mario Bellini. Bellini has continuously collaborated with Olivetti since 1963. The integration of solid state circuitry into office equipment and a corresponding elimination of the differentiating mechanical characteristics of all machines meant the old notion of form following function had no meaning. Since that point in time the products appearance has been solely determined by a mixture of tradition, aesthetics and ergonomics. It is claimed that Bellini has extended an understanding of this notion more than anyone. Bellini's design solution was the wedge shape which could accommodate the high mounting requirements of the printing mechanism and keep the keyboard input low and comfortable for the operator. The wedge shape is maintained by the recessed keyboard and the inset base which offers the illusion of a floating form. Manufactured by Olivetti in Ivrea, Italy, 1974.

HISTORY

Notes

The specific history of this calculator is unknown. It was purchased from a North American dealer in 2012.

SOURCE

Credit Line

Purchased 2012

Acquisition Date

8 August 2012

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