The objective for this project was to create a concept moka pot or coffee percolator which would fit in with an existing brand’s product line. The name Gesto comes from the Italian word for gesture. Choosing the brand Alessi, I drew upon their existing design cues to inspire the form of my project. Through the ideation phase, I analyzed many different products in the Alessi catalog, but ultimately settled on a design inspired by their Anna G. corkscrew.

This project was created for Design - 154 at CSU Long Beach.

The initial mock-up was sculpted from polyurethane foam and primed using a filler primer to cover micro holes in the foam. The mock-up allowed me to see firsthand and adjust the scale and proportions of the model.

Mockup Video

For the final model, the moka pot is 3D printed PLA plastic. Each piece is primed and progressively sanded to a six-hundred grit finish.

With the model fully sanded and primed, each student created a product video to showcase their moka pot’s design and features. 

For extra credit, students could opt to finish their moka pot concept with paint to illustrate the different color and material choices of their design.