BICA COMPLEX

Milan, Italy

A. MAGNAGHI, M. TERZAGHI, 1959

An Olivari classic, the Bicahandle, conceived by architects Augusto Magnaghi and Mario Terzaghi for the Bica complex (part of the Montecatini Group). It’s the first mass-produced handle in Italy, in anodized aluminum alloy, and is one of the projects that has enjoyed considerable, long-lasting commercial success in the vast Olivari catalog.

BICA

A. Magnaghi, M. Terzaghi – Out of production

Its spot-on design set the standard for shape and cost – and Bica became one of the most-imitated handles ever. Its simplicity positioned it as the solution to an endless number of home decor issues.

Augusto Magnaghi and Mario Terzaghi start working together while studying at the university, and they open a studio which sets itself apart in 1939 with a rationalist building in Fino Mornasco. After forced inactivity during WWII, their studio starts back to work with several residential complexes, in particular for the INA House Institute.