Project: CPN19 Corso Porta Nuova
Architects: Lombardini22
Location: Milano – Italy
Project: CPN19 Corso Porta Nuova
Architects: Lombardini22
Location: Milano – Italy
From October 27th to February 4th at Museo Civico di Bassano del Grappa – Vicenza
We are the ones who open doors of universities, stores, hospitals, and buildings that have turned from places to icons. We are the ones that „even a pull tells who we are, so let’s make it even better“; the ones that „sustainability is consistency unveiling in the long run, so let’s pay attention now“.
We are the ones who team up with the best partners and who have women in charge. Those who enhance the function of a grab bar in a bathroom, of a pull on a drawer. Strong as steel and always changing like copper. We are the ones who make you enter, leave, go, stay and return. We are the ones who never make just for the sake of making, but always moved by the ambition of creating good and beautiful objects for everyone.
We are those who question the morality within creating. Because imagining, developing and manufacturing, bringing into the world a form that was not there is, above all, an act of responsibility worthy of deep thought. This drive to focus on the essential before acting is what makes us feel connected to Dorothea Lange. The photographer who said „the camera is a tool that teaches people how to see without the camera“ much resembles us, our hints to a broader horizon, our view of business ethics as the tool to make the world a better place for all.



Project: Princeton University
Architects: Ennead Architects
Location: New York – USA
Door hardware collection made of ECONYL® regenerated nylon to design neurodiverse environments.
pba celebrated Neurodiversity Week at Neurodiversity in Business (NiB) Conference in London – March, 16 – presenting findings from a recent study that highlights how sensory stimulation and elements in the built environment impact individuals and how to design accordingly to create neuro-inclusive environments. The presentation also highlighted how to design door hardware promotes inclusivity.
How can we accommodate neurodiverse people in the workplace?
All aspects of the space, such as color, lighting, materiality, texture, elements in the field of view and sensory stimuli need to be designed with purpose and intent.

pba collaborated with RainlightSTUDIO and Kay Sargent to deepen our understanding of sensory stimulation in the built environment and how this can impact individuals occupying the space, specifically neurodiverse individuals. Our goal is to offer designers a complete range of door hardware, levers and pulls, giving them the option to choose color and texture to design the most inclusive space for all users.
“For pba, talking about inclusiveness today means continuing a conversation started many years ago. Inclusiveness is experienced as a goal and not as a mean; that is the reason why we choose not only the products we believe in, but also the path to share with the people we work with and the companies we create value with in Italy and in the world; a distinct path to walk to get where we choose to be. Inclusiveness is for everyone, it does not identify a specific skill, it does not seek solutions that flatten needs in a vision of „common necessity”, on the contrary it values the beauty, the variety and the uniqueness of people. Only universal values can lay the foundation of such an ambitious building: Inclusiveness, Beauty for all, Responsibility for the choices made on what, with whom and how, and Sustainability. Because we cannot avoid to be sustainable if we truly believe in the „for all” which is the reason why the TOCCO Collection combines everyone and everything.” said Erica Anesi, CEO pba.

TOCCO Collection will debut on May with a capsule hardware collection of levers and pulls that are sustainable, interchangeable and sensory sensitive.
“We need to create environments that have an ecosystem of options and choices so people who are neurodiverse can decide the right setting for them at any given time” said Kay Sargent, Neuro-inclusive Design Consultant.
pba with RainlightSTUDIO and Kay Sargent, has issued a Sensory Stimulation Survey to collect data and preferences according to different sensory inputs: https://pba.it/it/sensorystimulationsurvey. The purpose of the survey is to push forward the research on neurodiversity in the built environment.
Previous research show that when asked about the importance of different sensory inputs, people are more sensitive to visual and tactile stimuli (HOK, Tarkett and Genius Within Research). TOCCO Collection was designed specifically to offer designers the possibility to choose the color (visual) and the texture (tactile) of the handles (levers and pulls) to better address the preferences and needs of different users.
“To allow all employees to thrive, office designs need to remain fluid and adaptable. Employers can improve employee wellness and productivity by offering a wide range of choices, allowing people to continually select the best space for their individual needs.” said Kay Sargent.

Color has a significant impact on individuals in the built environment. Color has the power to energize, restore, stimulate, calm and even encourage creativity (Browning, 2014). In times of crisis and instability, such as a pandemic, there is an increased need for the comfort and visual nourishment. Natural tones evoke a connection with nature and order and can convey qualities of comfort, calmness, and grounding.
TOCCO Collection offers an infinite range of colors and two different handle grips – smooth and textured – to meet the tactile preference of all users.
“Design is an orchestration of all the senses to create a sense of belonging in the moment, and touch is our true connection with reality. The door handle represents the first touch a person experiences with a building, or a room. We look to a more human approach that defies expectation, evoking a welcome sense of wonder.” said Yorgo Lykouria, Creative Principal RainlightSTUDIO.

The TOCCO Collection grip is made of ECONYL®, a regenerated-nylon that can be recycled an indefinite number of times without affecting the quality of the material. The material introduces a warm, welcoming sensation that feels more secure. “We chose to partner with Econyl for the grip component to support the active removal of plastics from the ocean, giving waste materials a new life in a product designed to be recycled again after its life. Everything we do from now on must benefit the planet.” said Yorgo Lykouria.
ECONYL® is made by recycling discarded plastic collected from landfill sites and oceans across the whole planet. Through a process of de-molymerization, purification and then transformation into new polymers and then threads, this material can be recuperated and made into new nylon fabric. The choice of the ECONYL® for the TOCCO collection actively contributes to the reduction of the global warming up to 90% compared to the use of the virgin nylon.
“Think about sporting equipment, such as a tennis racket or a golf club. The ‘feel’ of the grip is an important element to ensure a secure grip, warmth and comfort to the user. Why should hardware be any different?” said Kay Sargent.
The future is circular: from waste, ECONYL® is infinitely recyclable and can unleash infinite possibilities. TOCCO Collection project represents a commitment to sustainability and truly responsible practices.
Committed to environmental preservation and inclusiveness, because sustainability can’t disregard the centrality of the individual, pba is investing in energy saving projects and is promoting sustainable and inclusive practices within the design industry: the TOCCO Collection is the most recent evidence of pba’s commitment to the company’s founding values.
“All we know about designing for inclusion should be applied to every element within the build environment…include the hardware. No detail is too small, as they all impact the experience we have and add to the overall solution.” said Kay Sargent.
Please contact marketing@pba.it for more information
Project: Moncler Headquarters
Architects: ACPV ARCHITECTS Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel
Location: Milano – Italy
Un’edizione che si preannuncia straordinaria e che conferma La Milanesiana come il più grande festival itinerante europeo che promuove il dialogo tra le arti, intrecciando Letteratura, Musica, Cinema, Scienza, Arte, Filosofia, Teatro, Diritto, Economia, Sport e, per il primo anno, Fumetto, creando riflessioni e approfondimenti.
Il tema di questa 24esima edizione è RITORNI, ispirato dallo scrittore nigeriano, Ben Okri. Un tema-mondo per interpretare la cronaca attuale (chi lascia la propria terra sperando di non farci più ritorno, chi parte sognando di tornarci), che abbraccia anche altri nuclei tematici: il rapporto con la natura, quello con l’intelligenza artificiale e quello tra genitori e figli.
La Rosa dipinta da Franco Battiato, che fin dalla prima edizione è il simbolo de La Milanesiana, è stata rielaborata anche quest’anno da Franco Achilli che in onore del nuovo tema l’ha raffigurata avvolta in un uroboro verde, ideale unione tra il tema della Natura e quello del Ritorno.
A suggellare l’importanza di questo festival di respiro internazionale, già l’anteprima di venerdì 7 aprile con ospite il grande regista Quentin Tarantino in dialogo con Antonio Monda in occasione dell’uscita del nuovo libro “Cinema speculation” edito da La nave di Teseo (Libreria Mondadori Duomo di Milano, ore 18.00, in collaborazione con La nave di Teseo e Librerie Mondadori).
L’apertura ufficiale della 24esima edizione vede invece il 23 maggio lo straordinario incontro con il Premio Nobel Wole Soyinka, in dialogo con Stefano Salis, e il concerto omaggio di Ramin Bahrami a Giuseppe Verdi per i 210 anni dalla nascita, uno dei tanti importanti anniversari selezionati quest’anno da La Milanesiana.
Come in tutte le edizioni, l’arte ricopre un ruolo importante all’interno del Festival che quest’anno ospita ben 8 mostre in tutta Italia, dal 13 giugno al 30 ottobre.
Quest’anno La Milanesiana consegna i seguenti premi:
Premio Rosa d’oro della Milanesiana a Abdulrazak Gurnah
Premio SIAE / La Milanesiana a Zerocalcare
Premio Jean-Claude e Nicky Fasquelle / La Milanesiana a Joël Dicker
Premio Omaggio al Maestro / La Milanesiana a Quentin Tarantino e Fatih Akin
Dichiara Elisabetta Sgarbi, Direttore Artistico La Milanesiana: «Al tema dei Ritorni è dedicata la ventiquattresima edizione della Milanesiana. Il suggeritore quest’anno è stato un grande scrittore nigeriano, Ben Okri, poeta, romanziere, pittore, drammaturgo. Dentro questo tema, che tocca la Letteratura, la Storia, la Cronaca, abbiamo ritagliato altri temi, tra loro collegati: “Il Ritorno alla Natura”, declinato nel senso della “Restituzione” alla “Natura”. E, ancora, il ritorno alle proprie origini, nel rapporto tra “Madri, Padri e Figli”, naturali e non. E, infine, il tema della “Intelligenza Artificiale”. Questi temi saranno raccontati in un viaggio in Italia che, accanto alle canoniche sedi della Milanesiana, viaggia in alcuni borghi e città ricchi di storia e suggestioni, fuori dalle rotte più ovvie».
Project: Snam Headquarters | Symbiosis District
Architects: Piuarch
Location: Milano – Italy
Seit 1973 entwerfen, entwickeln und produzieren wir Badzubehör und Baubeschlag, um Umgebungen integrativ zu gestalten. Dies ist eine ästhetische, technische und menschliche Herausforderung, die Schönheit als Mittel identifiziert, um auch Unterschieden die gleiche Würde zu verleihen.
Design for All Sanitärausstattung zeigt, wie elegantes, gut abgestimmtes Design das Erscheinungsbild und die Leistung barrierefreier Räume, verbessern kann. Jedes Produkt fördert ein Leben ohne Barrieren und unterstützt Inklusion auf wunderbare Weise durch intelligente Details und eine außergewöhnlich gut verarbeitete Produktion.
Jetzt ist „DFA Design for All™“ ist eine international eingetragene pba-Marke, die auf alle unsere Produkte angewendet wird, weil unsere Herausforderung darin besteht, Lösungen zu schaffen, die gleichzeitig einzigartig und für alle zugänglich sind. Daher werden Produkte als industrielle Projekte (für alle identisch) zum Leben erweckt, können aber auch unterschiedliche Anforderungen erfüllen: Design for All.


Discover Design For All Collections
Der European Product Design Award zeichnet pba Hands-Free Pull- und Händedesinfektionsmittelspender – Kollektionen aus.
Wir sind stolz darauf, Ihnen mitteilen zu können, dass unsere Hands-Free Pull- und Hand Sanitizer Cover-Kollektionen, die von Gensler entworfen wurden, von der Jury bei den European Product Design Awards 2022 ausgezeichnet wurden.

Die Hands-Free Pulls Collection ist Gewinner und die Hand Sanitizer Cover Collection erhielt eine lobende Erwähnung in der Kategorie Design for Society/Designs for Social Impact.
Der European Product Design Award würdigt die Bemühungen talentierter internationaler Produkt- und Industriedesigner, die mit ihren praktischen, durchdachten Kreationen unser tägliches Leben verbessern wollen.

Hand Sanitizer Cover Collection