A book dedicated to Fantini who draws strength and inspiration from his place of origin, Lake Orta. A strong bond that continues to write the history of the company

"We are here on the shores of Lake Orta, in a beautiful area. This place that I love and consider the true genius loci of Fantini's know-how is a great inspiration for our work ”, says Daniela Fantini with simple and profound words at the same time. And with these words he tells a story, the story of a "factory" linked to a territory, to centuries-old traditions handed down for generations. Report From The Waterfront. Fantini: Stories of an Italian design factory (Rizzoli) tells an adventure born in 1947 by the brothers Giovanni and Ersilio Fantini, a story of an original and fascinating enterprise that, from the small village of Pella on the shores of the lake, in one of the most beautiful areas of Italy, has brought all over the world its high-end products created by internationally renowned designers, including Piero Lissoni, Franco Sargiani, Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez, Vincent Van Duysen, Michael Anastassiades, Naoto Fukasawa. Among the latest in order of time, Yabu Pushelberg who drew inspiration for the new Sailing series from the suggestions of the lake, poetically reinterpreting the classic bollard to which boats moor.

Water is the common thread that binds all sections of the book. It is the main element of the taps produced by the company, small architectures of daily use that bring it to homes all over the world, renewing a great magic every day. And it is the water of the lake that gives a touch of magic to the volume, through the images of great photographers who have interpreted it over time, year after year, at the invitation of Fantini: Gianni Basso, Franco Fontana, Giorgio Lotti, Gabriele Basilico, Gianni Berengo Gardin, Ferdinando Scianna, Gabriele Croppi, Walter Zerla.

Curated by Renato Sartori (communication expert, communication and external relations director of important design companies, for several years consultant for Fantini's strategies, marketing and communication) and by Patrizia Scarzella (architect and journalist, author of books designer and curator of international exhibitions, UNIDO consultant for training and social design projects in Africa and Asia, Fantini's collaborator since 1995), the volume is a small treasure chest that opens up revealing creativity, entrepreneurship, manual and artisanal skills, technologies and industrial processes of an “Italian design factory”.

In these days, Fantini is present at Architect@Work (3 and 4 November at MiCo - Milano Congressi viale Scarampo between gate 4 and gate 5), a meeting circuit for professionals, a moment that marks the resumption of activities with the among the operators in the sector, with some of its most distinctive solutions in terms of bathroom taps and fittings: AA / 27 Aboutwater collection, available in stainless steel and with PVD mat metal gun finish, design Michael Anastassiades; Nice in the total black look, Thun & Rodriguez design; Long seller Nostromo, made with new PVD finishes - Raw Metal and Pure Brass, design Davide Mercatali.

In the opening photo, the island of San Giulio on Lake Orta, photo by Giorgio Lotti taken for the Fantini 2010 calendar.