Tombini d'Italia: A Design Study of Manhole Covers

The book 'Tombini d’Italia. Dal progetto grafico al design del prodotto' by Alfonso Morone, published by LetteraVentidue in Siracusa in 2022, fills a gap in design studies by examining manhole covers as overlooked yet significant industrial artifacts. These cast-iron covers have remained functionally unchanged for centuries, offering a unique case of timeless design. The first part explores their role in urban transformations since the industrial revolution and as a medium for graphic symbols. The second part presents a photographic and graphic catalog of 248 pieces from all Italian regions, based on a four-year research project. The book includes an iconographic overview from archives at the Museo Italiano della Ghisa - Neri Foundation Archive and the Pirelli Foundation, featuring early steel company catalogs and advertising materials. It also references photographers like Dora Maar, Lee Lockwood, Louis Stettner, and Thurston Hopkins, who captured manhole covers as symbols of modernity. The introduction is by designers Giulio Iacchetti and Matteo Ragni, winners of the 2014 Compasso d’Oro for their manhole cover series for Montini. The layout and graphic design are by Marco Sorrentino, with photographic research by Enzo Papa.