Venvstas Carbon T: A Revolution in Writing Instruments

Lucio Rossi's Award-Winning Carbon Fiber Fountain Pen

Lucio Rossi's inspiration for the Venvstas Carbon T stemmed from a desire to create a design that was stripped down to its essential elements, yet lacked nothing. The result is a writing instrument that is as light as air, embodying the essence of minimalism, where nothing can be added or subtracted.

The Venvstas Carbon T, designed primarily for sketching, stands out for its perfect balance, weight, and resistance. The pen combines few elements, steel, and carbon, to offer a truly expressive design piece. The pen's unique properties lie in its minimalist design, which is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

The pen is constructed using bi-directional or linear carbon fiber and stainless steel. It measures 150 mm when closed, has a diameter of 10 mm, and weighs a mere 15 grams. The use of carbon fiber makes the pen lightweight yet durable, making it an ideal tool for drawing and writing.

The Venvstas Carbon T was initially designed in Paris in 2014-15 as part of a research project for a carbon fiber writing instrument. Despite initial challenges due to the high costs of production, the design was eventually made available to the public through the brand Venvstas. It was first presented at the 2017 Paris Design Week and has also been sold via the curated designboom web-store.

The design process involved translating previously designed writing instruments made of stainless steel, brass, or aluminum into composites. The main idea was to incorporate new materials into the design principles, and composites were chosen for their high resistance and lightweight. The T model was the result of some specifications from the initial client, mainly a clip and carbon construction. Over time, a clip-less version was introduced and became the standard Venvstas version.

The Venvstas Carbon T has been continuously developed since its first prototype, with ongoing upgrades in manufacturing processes and materials. Working with carbon fiber presented challenges due to tolerances and the fact that it's a composite. This required optimizing the design to make it easier for production, adapting to new manufacturing processes that evolved with the design.

The design was awarded Silver in A' Art and Stationery Supplies Design Award in 2019, a testament to its innovative design and functionality. The Venvstas Carbon T is not just a pen; it's a statement of design and technology, a true minimal design object that stands out for its clear lines and the expression of a material and its time.