THE MECHANICS OF ELEGANCE: BETWEEN PRECISION AND
STAINLESS STEEL
NIHIL
Rigorous like the most precise of watches and as meticulously crafted as the most precious of jewels, NIHIL leaves the material free to expose itself in its purity, pushing manufacturing processes to the limit. Davide Vercelli has long developed innovative proposals for FIMA that push design concepts to the limit, reflecting on gestures, interaction with the product and the constructive and technological possibilities of the production process.
The aim is not to surprise but to propose new methods of use, able to concretely influence everyday life, looking at more ethical and sustainable industrial models, meandering between micro and macro scale, with the same precise intentionality and the same creative vigour.
PURE EXPRESSIONS OF MATERIAL
In a context often dominated by finish as an artifice, NIHIL claims the purity of stainless steel as an aesthetic and technical value. The material is not masked but exposed, without additional surface treatments. Shapes are streamlined, calibrated on small diameters that become a stylistic figure.
The 12 millimetre spout is an act of structural and visual precision. Thin and precise, it draws a continuous line in space that seems almost suspended. It is controlled tension, a balance between apparent lightness and real solidity. While maintaining this small diameter, it integrates a 10-millimetre aerator that guarantees a coherent stream mixed with air, in line with the operation of traditional spouts.
The washbasin mixer tap has a progressive cartridge. Turning the cylindrical ferrule simultaneously adjusts the flow rate and temperature until the desired level of comfort is reached. The body becomes a base and control, minimising spatial and visual encumbrance in the sink.
The collection also includes solutions for bases with two or three holes, with a central mouth and side knobs, in addition to the wall versions always with 12 millimetre spout.
The rotating handle emits a slight mechanical click a discreet rhythm that accompanies the gesture and restores the physical perception of the rotation. Micro interruptions and fluidity alternate within a few millimetres, generating a controlled vibration.
The sound becomes confirmation, measurement, adjustment.
EXCELLENCE IN THE PROCESS,
KIND TO THE ENVIRONMENT
NIHIL
The production process of NIHIL tells the story of the excellence in precision mechanics achieved by FIMA, becoming the protagonist of the collection in every detail, both structural and aesthetic. This choice has a strong aesthetic but also environmental value.
The lack of surface treatments leads to a reduction in energy consumption and limits the use of chemical substances and complex galvanic processes.
In NIHIL, each component is not further treated after turning or milling. No corrective polishing, no brushing, no coating to unify its appearance or soften its touch. The product’s surface preserves the mark of the tool that shapes it.
The finishes available for NIHIL echo this philosophy: pure stainless steel is flanked by black chrome, the only galvanic finish available. Then there is gold, champagne, amber bronze and mocha. These PVD variants, exclusively in a brushed version, preserve the integrity of the steel without altering its nature. NIHIL is thus a tap that is “gentle” to nature – sustainability is not shouted, but inherent in its structure.
A sophisticated touch for a cohesive aesthetic
NIHIL introduces a sophisticated reference into the control handle that becomes an opportunity to enhance the mechanical language of the collection. A semicircular pattern is engraved with geometric rigor into the cylindrical ring, recalling the fluted rhythm of a Doric column.
This is a classic echo, a metered citaiton that winks at embellishment without slipping into the ornamental for its own sake. The motif softens the impact of the mixer tap, introducing a plastic and elegant vibration that dialogues with the light and simultaneously to make control more ergonomic.
NIHIL then represents not a simple balance between the rigorous industrial factor and a decorative touch. The reference to classicism enhances the collection and expands its target, ultimately surprising the designer himself. NIHIL chooses the expression of a lucid and conscious design vision, realized in a faucet collection where every detail is necessary and every choice is measured, made possible by the technical solidity and production expertise of FIMA.
DAVIDE VERCELLI DESIGN
Designer and engineer, Davide Vercelli founded his studio in 2005 after conducting research at the Polytechnic University of Turin. The studio focuses on product development, growth strategies, communication, and networks.
Design, beauty, responsibility, and profit are the key words that define every project.
A multidisciplinary and cross-cutting approach has allowed the studio to work alongside clients as a global consultant, dealing with product design, brand design, brand strategy, and exhibits.
Since 2013, the studio has curated and designed the main collective event at Cersaie (Aggregati, Cer-Sea, Cer-Stile, Cer-Sail, Milleluci, The Sound of Design, Famous Bathrooms, Contract Hall, Route 40), dedicated to contract and wellness.
Since 2019, it has been responsible for the design and setup of the VIP Lounge at Artefiera in Bologna, the leading international event dedicated to the art world.
He is a lecturer at IED Turin and Guest Professor at the Polytechnic University of Milan, with numerous international awards: fifteen selections for the ADI Design Index, three honorable mentions at the Compasso d’Oro, two Young & Design awards, three Design Plus awards, one Ida (International Design Awards) award, one Good Design Award, three IF Design awards, and two Ada (Archiproducts Design Awards).
He is currently the creative director of Fima Carlo Frattini.