--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Alberto Alessi had asked a dozen…" description: "\"Alberto Alessi had asked a dozen architects to design a sterling silver tea service - with a teapot, a coffee pot, sugar, creamer, a spoon, and a tray...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/michael-graves-21551_architect_alberto-alessi-had-asked-a-dozen-archite_1312076.jpg" --- # Alberto Alessi had asked a dozen architects to design a… ![“Alberto Alessi had asked a dozen architects to design a sterling silver tea service - with a teapot, a coffee pot, sugar, creamer, a spoon, and a tray. Our brief was that it didn't matter if it didn't work and cost wasn't the issue. It was a promotional project, not a commercial enterprise, and…” quote by Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/michael-graves-21551_architect_alberto-alessi-had-asked-a-dozen-archite_1312076.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/michael-graves-21551_architect_alberto-alessi-had-asked-a-dozen-archite_1312076.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f5e/michael-graves-21551_architect_alberto-alessi-had-asked-a-dozen-archite_1312076.jpg) > “Alberto Alessi had asked a dozen architects to design a sterling silver tea service - with a teapot, a coffee pot, sugar, creamer, a spoon, and a tray. Our brief was that it didn't matter if it didn't work and cost wasn't the issue. It was a promotional project, not a commercial enterprise, and was going to be showcased in museums. And the coffee and tea piazza, as mine was called, received a great response. It was wonderful to walk into the Whitney museum and see all these objects on the first floor.” [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes a collaborative, experimental design project for a silver tea service, emphasizing creativity over practicality and cost. **In simple terms:** Creative design without commercial constraints. Key Takeaway Prioritize innovation over profit. Themes design collaboration experimentation Mood creative reflective Type inspirational artistic When to use this quote - museum installations - product prototypes - design workshops Key Concepts industrial design museum exhibition artistic freedom Questions to Reflect On - How can designers balance art and function? - What value does museum display add to everyday objects? A Different Perspective Risk of impracticality and limited market relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Architect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architect/) [Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee/) [Coffee and tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffee-and-tea/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Design Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design-sterling-4344029/) [Dozen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dozen/) [Enterprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enterprise/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Mines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mines/) [Museums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/museums/) [Museums Coffee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/museums-coffee-4344030/) [Objects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objects/) [Pot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pot/) [Projects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/projects/) [Response](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/response/) [Service Teapot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service-teapot-4344031/) [Silver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silver/) [Spoons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoons/) [Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sterling/) [Sugar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sugar/) [Tea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea/) [Tea Piazza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea-piazza-4344028/) [Tea Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tea-service-4344032/) [Teapots](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teapots/) [Trays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trays/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Whitney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whitney/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) ## Related quotes > [I am a little troubled about the tea service in the electronic computer building. Apparently the members of your staff consume several times as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/i-am-a-little-troubled-about-the-tea-service-in-the-electronic/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [“It's frustrating to witness how popular Fairtrade bananas, coffee and tea have become with shoppers and supermarkets while plenty of unfair trade goes on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-prince/it-s-frustrating-to-witness-how-popular-fairtrade-bananas-coffee-and/) [Rose Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-prince/) > [Show (don't tell) your customers that you have good quality by actually delivering fresh coffee and tea. Intelligent people are active recipients of information,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-baldwin/show-don-t-tell-your-customers-that-you-have-good-quality-by-actually/) [Jerry Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-baldwin/) > [Come along inside... We'll see if tea and buns can make the world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-grahame/come-along-inside-we-ll-see-if-tea-and-buns-can-make-the-world-a/) [Kenneth Grahame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-grahame/) > [I love coffee, I love tea, I love the Java Jive, and it loves me. Coffee and tea and the Java and me, A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-oakland/i-love-coffee-i-love-tea-i-love-the-java-jive-and-it-loves-me-coffee/) [Ben Oakland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-oakland/) > [“Opened September 2012; 1,500 sq. ft. The Oxford Exchange houses a coffee and tea bar, a restaurant, a private-membership library, and conference rooms, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/opened-september-2012-1-500-sq-ft-the-oxford-exchange-houses-a-coffee/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Suave molecules of Mocha stir up your blood, without causing excess heat; the organ of thought receives from it a feeling of sympathy; work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/suave-molecules-of-mocha-stir-up-your-blood-without-causing-excess/) [Charles Maurice de Talleyrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-maurice-de-talleyrand/) > [I'm good at loving books. I'm good at loving soft bed sheets. I'm good at loving coffees and teas. I am good at loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-gibson/i-m-good-at-loving-books-i-m-good-at-loving-soft-bed-sheets-i-m-good/) [Andrea Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-gibson/) > [The voodoo priest and all his powders were as nothing compared to espresso, cappuccino, and mocha, which are stronger than all the religions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/the-voodoo-priest-and-all-his-powders-were-as-nothing-compared-to/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [Caffeine gives me hope. Sometimes, when I brew my wicked strong Irish black tea just perfect, about halfway through the mug I feel a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanderslice/caffeine-gives-me-hope-sometimes-when-i-brew-my-wicked-strong-irish/) [John Vanderslice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanderslice/) > [For tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervous sensibilities, or are become so from wine-drinking, and are not susceptible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-de-quincey/for-tea-though-ridiculed-by-those-who-are-naturally-coarse-in-their/) [Thomas de Quincey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-de-quincey/) > [American-style iced tea is the perfect drink for a hot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-holt/american-style-iced-tea-is-the-perfect-drink-for-a-hot/) [Tom Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-holt/) > [Twenty-two pages is not a lot of space. Believe me. Having written a bazillion comics, I still find myself more often than nine pages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waid/twenty-two-pages-is-not-a-lot-of-space-believe-me-having-written-a/) [Mark Waid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waid/) > [My dad had always been a big decaf coffee drinker. But my mom had always been more of a tea drinker. So I grew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-clinton/my-dad-had-always-been-a-big-decaf-coffee-drinker-but-my-mom-had/) [Chelsea Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-clinton/) > [Why do they always put mud into coffee on board steamers? Why does the tea generally taste of boiled boots?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/why-do-they-always-put-mud-into-coffee-on-board-steamers-why-does-the/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) ## More by Michael Graves > [I stayed true to what I thought was good design no matter who it was for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/i-stayed-true-to-what-i-thought-was-good-design-no-matter-who-it-was/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [I have no requirements for a style of architecture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/i-have-no-requirements-for-a-style-of-architecture/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [I once got a postcard from a French poet who wrote - "you don't know me but I'm always very grumpy when I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/i-once-got-a-postcard-from-a-french-poet-who-wrote-you-don-t-know-me/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [In any architecture, there is an equity between the pragmatic function and the symbolic function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/in-any-architecture-there-is-an-equity-between-the-pragmatic-function/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [My favorite is the garlic press. I think it's beautiful as an object. But the awkward part of it all is that I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/my-favorite-is-the-garlic-press-i-think-it-s-beautiful-as-an-object/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [I don't care what people call me, labels have the negative value of making smaller boundaries for people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/i-don-t-care-what-people-call-me-labels-have-the-negative-value-of/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [Architecture is not all about the design of the building and nothing else, it is also about the cultural setting and the ambience, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/architecture-is-not-all-about-the-design-of-the-building-and-nothing/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [In designing hardware to be used every day, it was important to keep both the human aspects and the machine in mind. What looks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/in-designing-hardware-to-be-used-every-day-it-was-important-to-keep/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [The design of the building addresses the public nature of both the urban context and the internal program. In order to reinforce the building's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/the-design-of-the-building-addresses-the-public-nature-of-both-the/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [“Out of my numerous visits I have made to Catfish Plantation, I never photographed an entity like this. It looks like an angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/out-of-my-numerous-visits-i-have-made-to-catfish-plantation-i-never/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [If I have a style, I am not aware of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/if-i-have-a-style-i-am-not-aware-of-it/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [“Amply described blowjobs and anal scenes may stigmatise gay writers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/amply-described-blowjobs-and-anal-scenes-may-stigmatise-gay-writers/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [It was always my goal to 'up the ante' on good design, and I've devoted much of my career to this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/it-was-always-my-goal-to-up-the-ante-on-good-design-and-i-ve-devoted/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [My favorite project is always the next one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/my-favorite-project-is-always-the-next-one/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) > [In America, writers are afforded the freedom to express themselves in unlimited manners. Creative liberty is a privilege.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-graves/in-america-writers-are-afforded-the-freedom-to-express-themselves-in/) [Michael Graves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) [Explore all 29 Michael Graves quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-graves/) ## More Architect quotes > [When I am asked what I believe in, I say that I believe in architecture. Architecture is the mother of the arts. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-meier/when-i-am-asked-what-i-believe-in-i-say-that-i-believe-in/) [Richard Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-meier/) > [Some architects have a preconceived notion of what a building should be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-w-fentress/some-architects-have-a-preconceived-notion-of-what-a-building-should/) [Curtis W. Fentress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-w-fentress/) > [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/) [Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/) > [When it comes to getting things done, we need fewer architects and more bricklayers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-it-comes-to-getting-things-done-we-need-fewer-architects-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Architects mostly work for privileged people, people who have money and power, Power and money are invisible, so people hire us to visualize their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shigeru-ban/architects-mostly-work-for-privileged-people-people-who-have-money/) [Shigeru Ban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shigeru-ban/) > [I was the chairman of the Budget Committee and the lead architect the last time it happened in Washington, and when we did it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-budget-committee-and-the-lead-architect-the/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [The architect is very interesting because the architect is the commander, meaning the one who commands all the workers. The architect is also the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/santiago-calatrava/the-architect-is-very-interesting-because-the-architect-is-the/) [Santiago Calatrava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/santiago-calatrava/) > [The pursuit of peace resembles the building of a great cathedral. It is the work of a generation. In concept it requires a mater-architect;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-h-humphrey/the-pursuit-of-peace-resembles-the-building-of-a-great-cathedral-it/) [Hubert H. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-h-humphrey/) > [Yes, Garnett Grey was an Architect. Were a psychoanalyst to approach him from behind, tap his shoulder, and say 'Humanity,' Garrett'd spin and respond,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/yes-garnett-grey-was-an-architect-were-a-psychoanalyst-to-approach/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [The challenge of today's generation of architects is the environment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-ross-barney/the-challenge-of-today-s-generation-of-architects-is-the-environment/) [Carol Ross Barney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-ross-barney/) > [I stand on this rostrum with a sense of deep humility and great pride - humility in the weight of those great American architects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/i-stand-on-this-rostrum-with-a-sense-of-deep-humility-and-great-pride/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [Architects in the past have tended to concentrate their attention on the building as a static object. I believe dynamics are more important: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/architects-in-the-past-have-tended-to-concentrate-their-attention-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was the chairman of the House Budget Committee and one of the chief architects the last time we balanced a budget, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/i-was-the-chairman-of-the-house-budget-committee-and-one-of-the-chief/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [No matter what an architect may be at home, he becomes a monumentalist when he comes to Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ada-louise-huxtable/no-matter-what-an-architect-may-be-at-home-he-becomes-a-monumentalist/) [Ada Louise Huxtable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ada-louise-huxtable/) > [As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future which is essentially unknown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-foster/as-an-architect-you-design-for-the-present-with-an-awareness-of-the/) [Norman Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-foster/) [Browse all 836 Architect quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architect/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Alberto Alessi had asked a dozen architects to design a sterling silver tea service - with a teapot, a coffee pot, sugar, creamer, a spoon, and a tray. 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