The Moka Alessi Project is a tribute the designer's Alessandro Mendini maternal grandfather Alfonso Bialetti who, in the '30s of the 20th century, was the inventor, designer and first manufacturer of the Moka Express, the popular Italian espresso coffee maker.
Octagonal in shape, inspired by Futurism and Art Deco, and produced in die cast aluminium, the Moka is an archetype in its category, earning his grandfather eternal fame as a designer, even though he probably wasn't looking for it.
Hence Mendini's design for the Moka Alesso Espresso Coffee Maker was to base the look, feel and functionality on the classic, and let the coffee and the rumble of boiling water on a stove top bring back the beauty of coffee.