Alessi products "La Via Lattea" and "Tonale" have been recognized with the Design Plus 2010 award for product design of consumer goods.
Organized in conjunction with Messe Frankfurt, the Design Plus Award recognizes outstanding design products that have been on the market no longer than two years.
"La Via Lattea," a collection of four knives for hard and soft cheeses, was designed in 2009 by Anna and Gian Franco Gasparini in association with Andrea Berti cutlery works in Tuscany.
A single worker oversees the complete production cycle of each knife, which features ergonomic boxwood handles and steel blades.
The "Tonale" table service was designed by British architect David Chipperfield in 2009.
The name "Tonale" is taken from Italian painter Giorgio Morandi's study of color and its effect on the individuality of everyday objects.
The collection is comprised of a seemingly random series of pieces, including plates, bowls, a board, beakers and cups that are interchangeable and complementary to one another.
It is produced in a range of materials such as wood, steel, glass and earthenware.