The project
The concept of the alberello has always been a logical, technical and abstract challenge: to create a work of art that can be modulated on different levels in order to get design sculptures with an immediate and recognizable meaning, alberelli at once familiar and distinct, due to the dimension and the style with which they are composed.
The next elements emerged almost naturally, imposing themselves as necessary aestetic rules: the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio, the number three as growth ratio, the exact correspondence in the form of the structural modules and, ultimately, clay… the final piece could be made of no other material, it simply had to be a ceramic alberello!
Every subsequent effort, each iteration served to find a synthesis that could bring those elements into harmony, since by then the obsession was real, and the answer was bound to reveal itself.
“The innocent did not know it was impossible, so they did it”
Trusting in the truth of Bertrand Russell’s words, we embarked on this journey with lightness and determination, to invite you into the playful art of l’alberello and convey, through the simplicity of the final creation, all the best of our reasonings.
The mathematics of l’alberello
Immerse yourself in the secret harmony of l’alberello, where each component is a mathematical tale that follows the simple and elegant rules of the Golden Ratio and the magic of the Fibonacci Sequence.
Every so often, in the infinite silence of numbers, a melody is born, a dance that enchants the soul and nourishes the very essence of the universe. Among the most beautiful mathematical melodies there is the Fibonacci sequence: the sequence of numbers that, starting from 0 and 1, grows by defining each new element as the sum of the previous two.
Let us pause for a moment to listen to its sound! The first two elements of the sequence are thus, by definition, 0 and 1, followed by another 1 (sum of 0 + 1), by 2 (sum of 1 + 1), followed by 3 (sum of 1 + 2), continuing with 5, 8, 13, 21 and so on.
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 …
This simple mathematical rule hides a curious harmony that reveals itself in each fold of the world, like a secret shared between nature and the human heart.
And there, in the magic ratio between numbers, enchanting shapes and proportions emerge. The golden spiral, a gift of this dance, reveals itself in the shell of a snail, in seashells, in the petals of a flower, in ocean waves, and in the branching of a tree, hidden within the intricate details of all we consider beautiful.
The leaf of l’alberello begins the dance with its petiole, whose height aligns with the number 3. The sprig associates with 5, progressing to the branch at 8, and finally the trunk at 13. Look closely, and you will notice that the sprig, branch, and trunk share the exact same shape, harmoniously scaled by the factor of 1.618…embodying the Golden Ratio toward which the ratio between the terms of the Fibonacci sequence converges.
L’alberello thus tells its little mathematical poem, a light dance of proportions that echoes the eternal beauty of nature.
the HOME OF L’ALBERELLO
Castellamonte: a ceramic tradition spanning 2,000 years today has one more story to tell…
In Castellamonte, the story of ceramics dates back to Roman times and both past and recent archaeological finds confirm it beyond doubt: for decades, the quarries of red clay sustained the town’s artisans, giving rise to the characteristic terracotta cookware known as “tufeje”, Franklin fireplaces, and the famed ceramic wood-burning stove.
Upon this foundation of tradition and technique, l’alberello makes its quiet entrance, with a deep gratitude for the region’s heritage and the eagerness to write a new chapter for its home. Thanks to the decades-long expertise of master ceramicist Roberto Castellano, we ultimately solved every technical challenge to transform the original concept into a new creation as tangible as the earth from which it is made.