The preparation of good coffee was a well-guarded secret for a long time: Although the first coffee houses opened their doors back in the year 1511 in Mecca, it was not until the twentieth century that drinking coffee turned into a daily pleasure for many people. Today, enjoying a cup of coffee is an integral part of individual lifestyles, a joy that centres on both quality and comfort. The espresso coffee machine Y1 offers the coffee connoisseur an entirely new approach to enjoying the culture of preparing and drinking coffee due to the device’s well-balanced functionality and language of form. The housing of the Y1 is largely inspired by cubic forms, lending this coffee machine a harmonious and almost architectural appearance. This impression is enhanced by the use of high-quality materials such as aluminium and glass, which are easy to clean. The control panel was designed to protrude invitingly towards the user with the aim to also make the gesture of preparing coffee come figuratively to the fore. The compact housing made of aluminium accommodates the water tank and is covered by a coloured glass surface featuring a preheating area. The brewing system, the opening and closing mechanism, and the receptacle for the automatically ejected coffee capsules are located on a tower element that is slightly tilted toward the user. This espresso coffee machine aestheticises the process of making coffee – a design that enhances the enjoyment of a ritual.
Statement by the Jury
With the Y1, designed by MM Design for the company Illy, the jury recognised an espresso coffee machine, the form of which represents a paradigmatic change in the aesthetics of capsule systems. This home-use coffee machine is based on cubic shapes and is reminiscent of the early days of modern twentieth-century architecture. It thus pleasingly differentiates itself from the familiar shapes and generic materials used for other coffee machines. Well thought out, technically functional, highly compact, as well as user-friendly and self-explanatory.
