5071 Parmesan Cheese Cellar

5071 is a parmesan container designed by Ettore Sottsass for the Italian brand Alessi. It was put into production in 1978 and is based on simple lines that highlight the archetypal expression of an everyday object.

The parmesan container is made of 18/10 stainless steel with a mirror-polished surface and crystal glass, two materials that together define the container's construction and visual expression. The design is based on the function of the parmesan container and allows the materiality to be a central part of the object, rather than hiding its practical use. The stainless steel forms a clear contrast to the crystal glass and makes the contents a visible part of the whole. The shape is intended for storing and serving parmesan and places an ordinary serving object in a design historical context characterized by Sottsass's work.