“A good designer is like a director of an orchestra...”

A sense of place

A visit to the Steinway factory in New York triggered childhood memories for Nichetto. The sinuous curves of the classic black pianos in their various stages of construction reminded him of the curvaceous gloss hulls of the gondola, the famed form of transport used to traverse the canals of his hometown of Venice.

He sought to translate the smoothness and dynamism of the gondola into the detailing of his pianos, accenting the lines and celebrating the contours across the instrument’s every detail.

Elements of Design

Nichetto approached the piano like he would a piece of furniture, dissecting and redefining all of the external elements in close collaboration with Steinway’s craftspeople. He describes the assembly of these elements as similar to a micro-architecture project, evolving the aesthetic of the Grand Piano in a timeless way that honours the history and tradition of Steinway & Sons.

SCULPTED LEGS

The body of the piano sits atop elegantly sculpted legs defined with brass or stainless-steel accents.

ITALIAN LEATHER DETAILS

The fine lustre of Italian leather detailing distinguishes the music desk panel and desk plates from the rest of the piano’s high polish finish.

TOP STICK WITH EXPOSED HINGE

The gracefully tapered top stick supports the piano lid, reinforced with brass or stainless-steel hardware integrated into the piano rim.

BENT LAMINATION PEDAL LYRE

The design of the pedal lyre pillars is obtained from a single element of hand-crafted bent lamination, complete with brass or stainless-steel pedals.