Launch of LESS is MORE by OLI

The Grey Matter Agency (TGMA), Matter's communications agency, has worked with the Portuguese bathroom solutions manufacturer OLI to create the launch video for the LESS is MORE flush plate. Inspired by the ‘less is more’ principle associated with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the flush plate puts forward a minimalist concept in both the design and the materiality of the product.

In this article we explain how the brief was approached, what the flush plate is and why it caught the attention of design awards, where the video was filmed and which technical data are worth knowing in order to specify it.

The brief: telling how a flush plate is born

To show the process behind its development, TGMA was responsible for the script, the filming and the design of the video. The piece foregrounds the joint work of OLI and the architect Alessio Pinto, who led the ideation and development of the product in terms of form, technology and innovation, in an example of collaboration between industry and architecture.

The video, around four minutes long, was published on Matter's YouTube channel on 10 May 2022. At the time we described it as a process of searching for water efficiency, beauty and minimalism, with a result that tangibly communicates an awareness of water consumption through interaction with the user.

A few days earlier, on 5 May, OLI presented the flush plate at Matter Barcelona as part of the Best Practices Matter event ‘Function and beauty’, in which architecture and interior design studios from the city talked about design and sustainability. According to the brand, the new video of the flush plate was also shown at that event.

LESS is MORE: a flush plate without buttons or symbols

LESS is MORE is a mechanical dual-flush plate for OLI's concealed cisterns. According to the manufacturer, its design is inspired by the history of the mechanism itself: the usual buttons give way to two nylon cords reminiscent of the first sanitary mechanisms. On a 2 mm stainless steel plate, a short cord corresponds to the small flush (LESS) and a long one to the full flush (MORE), so the choice is understood without the need for icons.

Alessio Pinto himself, an Italian architect born in Rome in 1968, explained it like this at OLI's presentation:

“At a glance, we see the meaning of more and less in flushing water. The cords, longer or shorter, take on the function of analogue signals to prompt a clear and immediate action. Here there are no signs or symbols to decipher, just a choice made at first sight. We believe this instant understanding makes this plate unique and empathetic.”

— Alessio Pinto

An award-winning flush plate

Before the video was launched, the flush plate had already received the Red Dot Award 2021 in the product design category, whose jury noted that it stylishly fulfils the promise of unpretentious design carried in its name. That same year it won the iF Design Award 2021, in an edition with 3,693 projects from 52 countries according to OLI, and the brand also presents it as a winner of the Archiproducts Design Awards 2021.

Flush plate data sheet

The table summarises the data from OLI's technical data sheet. The four versions share the same plate and mechanism; only the finish changes.

For specifiers, three points are worth bearing in mind:

• Cistern and flush plate together: it is a mechanical flush plate designed for OLI's concealed cisterns, so it is best to define both at the same time.
• Finish to suit the wall surface: polished or brushed steel and the matt white or black lacquers allow the plate to blend into the wall or contrast with it.
• Technical documentation: the technical data sheet, installation instructions, DXF drawing and BIM models for Revit and Archicad are available on OLI's website.

Filming in Aveiro, home of the OLI factory

The video was filmed in Aveiro (Portugal), where OLI's factory is located. It shows Alessio Pinto's development of the concept, starting from the beauty and simplicity of experience design, with a clear objective: to maximise water efficiency, in keeping with the sustainability values that characterise the company and its way of working.

OLI was founded on 1 March 1954 in Aveiro as Oliveira & Irmão, a small family business, and in 1993 it became part of the Italian Silmar group. According to the company, it is the largest cistern manufacturer in southern Europe and is present in 80 countries.

LESS is MORE by OLI4:03

More on LESS is MORE

Months after this launch, in November 2022, the flush plate was selected for the ADI Design Index 2022, a selection that, according to OLI, made it eligible for the Compasso d'Oro 2024.

In the Journal we also look at the product and at OLI's history, with its awards and certifications:

At The Grey Matter Agency we help material and product brands tell the story behind their launches, from the script to the final image.

And if you are defining the bathroom for your next project, book your visit to Matter and we will help you choose the materials and finishes with your technical team.