Unveiled at the Castiglioni Foundation on the day of what would have been Achille's 103rd birthday (born in Milan on February 16, 1918), Cento3 – in fact – is a set of writing instruments, designed in 2001 by Achille Castiglioni and Gianfranco Cavaglià composed of three elements – the micromine pencil, the multifunctional pencil and the pocket fountain pen – characterized by the trilobate arched shape that facilitates the grip and made in soft, light (and non-slip) graphene thanks to the use of 3D printing engineered by Ego. M.

From 2001 to 2021: twenty years that virtually unite the two designers – Castiglioni and his friend and colleague Gianfranco Cavaglià – to the ‘new generation’ team of Ego.M who, together with their sons Giovanna and Carlo who take care of the Castiglioni Foundation, was able to transform the project, which came into their hands in the form of non-functional prototypes, into three products. Beautiful, ergonomic and even velvety: a perfect birthday present.

Giovanna and Carlo say they found the prototypes of this new project, hidden and kept behind the large corner mirror of their father's studio. After a few attempts to put them into production in recent years, in 2020 there was a meeting with the group of young Bolognese from Ego.M who convinced the Achille Castiglioni and Cavaglià Foundation to entrust them with development and production, however they actively participate in the phase of elaboration, in a perfect team work.

“Skills from different disciplines and interests that find in the designer's project result the moment of expressive synthesis of a great collective work”,  Achille Castiglioni said with his enthusiasm in designing.

The wooden prototypes, produced by Bottega Ghianda, reproduced the trefoil arched shape designed by Castiglioni and Cavaglià for a perfect, ergonomic and firm grip, and not to roll on the table, “this aspect seemed of some interest to us”, Cavaglià remembers with a smile.

Today, it is the 3D printing technology (Fused Deposition Modeling) that allows to produce that shape and therefore to develop the writing tools.

The guys from Ego.M have carefully studied the structure of the project, also dedicating themselves to the search for the ideal material. The choice fell on the archaic but innovative graphene, so as to create a pencil made of pencil.

3D printing in graphene leaves a particular texture on objects, as if they were traces, signs of authenticity – analog – which certify the slow production and the care of each piece. In addition to being velvety to the touch, each writing instrument has a knurling that allows it to be held comfortably between the fingers, while also maintaining an easy lightness.

Cento3 is a project under the banner of number 3. It has been said about Achille Castiglioni's 103rd birthday, but there are also 3 fingers that hold the writing instruments and 3 the trilobate arches. 3 the tools designed and the respective types of writing; 3D technology used for production; 3 the partners of the project and, finally, 3 the generations involved.