The handle within reach by karel&stephan karel from netherlands
designer's own words:
the handle within reach
the design of this door handle stems from ergonomic function, whilst is linked to a stylistic minimalistic approach.
in its appearance, it looks more like a surface than a handle, relating to the other surfaces in the room, such as the door and the walls. we made two decisive choices to create this.
there are plenty of well-designed door handles on the market. in our search for a new design form, we looked closely at how a door handle works.
the use of a door handle is to turn the axle of the lock. the handle is the lever which makes it possible to turn the axle easily (without needing to put to much force on the handle). the longer the handle, the more easily the axle of the lock will turn. but the longer it is, the greater reach is needed for the body to turn the lock.
so we decided to turn the handle around. now it points away from the hinges towards the person who handles the lever. this brings this handle 10 cm closer to you body, without losing the (maximum) leverage.
we also decided to cut away the lower triangle of the door handle, setting it apart from a regular door handle as the handle slides downwards in a horizontal position, and giving space to reach the keyhole.
this door handle fits on all residential and business-type, commonly marketed locks and doors. it envelopes and welcomes our shared space.
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how does it work