Carlo Ratti's 'Objectify' column: The pedalò as democratic design

Carlo Ratti, who’s both an architect and engineer, is launching a summer series called 'Objectify' in Wallpaper*. This series explores Italy through everyday objects, starting with the pedalò, a popular pedal boat found along the Italian coast. Ratti traces its roots back to designs by Leonardo da Vinci and the first industrial patent from Filippo Brunelleschi in 1421, leading to the modern pedalò developed in the late 1800s. In 1913, blacksmith Angelo Terzi created the Terziscafo on Lake Garda, but WWI halted further progress. Ratti contrasts the pedalò’s unique shapes with Pier Luigi Nervi's idea that technique creates ideal forms, arguing it illustrates 'form follows fun'. The series will also highlight less popular Italian items. Ratti heads CRA-Carlo Ratti Associati, teaches at Politecnico di Milano and MIT, and directs the Senseable City Lab. He also designed the torch for the 2026 Winter Olympics and will manage the 19th International Architecture Exhibition at La Biennale di Venezia in 2025.