MAD Architects reveals its collaboration with Olivari at The Milan Design Week. “Marilyn,” a door handle designed by Ma Yansong is a nod to the pair of residential buildings, designed by MAD in 2006 and nick-named “The Marilyn Monroe Towers” by the local residents of Mississauga, Canada due to their elegant curvature.

“A door handle is very symbolic to me. It is the first object that one will interact with before entering a new space.” said MAD founder and principal Ma Yansong. “Therefore, we wanted the design to be smooth and organic so when your hand closes around it, it feels familiar and natural, even if it is the first time you touch it.”

“Marilyn” draws its inspiration from the design language of the “Absolute Towers” and performs a simple undulating twist in a comparable way to the design operation of the iconic towers in Canada. The handle’s sinuous design functions beyond its aesthetic appearance. The moment that your hand grasps the handle, the palm falls naturally on the horizontal surface and the thumb rests elegantly on the vertical surface in a smooth ergonomic interaction.

“Architecture is about experience, not only visual but also what you can touch, what you can feel. People tend to focus only on the visual, but for me there’s also an emotional dimension to design. This handle allows you to connect with the form and design in a way you can’t do with a building.” – Ma Yansong

With this design collaboration, Ma Yansong joins an assembly of celebrated Architects and designers such as Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaas and Jean Nouvel, whom have all cooperated in with Olivari in the past.