add-On Radiator

In 2002 Satyendra Pakhalé was invited by Tubes Radiatori to create a product. The brief was simply to design a new radiator. In the literal sense, Pakhalé created Add-On Radiator with a beginner’s mind, as if the radiator was being made for the very first time. This defiance to rely on conventional notions of the generic radiator led to a design that implied something not merely novel, but actually new. He started from the premise of what a radiator ought to do, which is to effectively warm the air around it. Proceeding to sculpt the piece with a high degree of abstraction as an assembly of modular elements creating rhythmic volumes and densities, Pakhalé created a unique modular heating system based on an element which can be integrated into any architectural setting. Add-On Radiator can be placed on a wall, recessed or used as a space divider connected to floor and ceiling. It is not only a typological innovation, but also fulfils more utilitarian needs than conventional radiators – offering faster temperature regulation with less power – and conforms to international safety requirements. Pakhalé: ‘In architecture, radiators are technical-looking components and rather neglected products, even though they are one of the most utilitarian products in an architectural setting. So the first thought that came to my mind was to create a radiator that has an effectively larger surface area. I wanted to design a radiator which also has the personality of an object – a presence in an interior with its own modest dignity.’

Produced by TUBES Radiatori