Updating an icon to meet modern needs and wants requires more than hard work. However, that hasn’t deterred Dedem and Pininfarina, who’ve been putting their combined expertise into Icona, and today marks its global debut.

The “magic box”, which pretty much gave birth to the selfie, has been capturing the faces of people in Italy and worldwide and has been instrumental in the evolution of customs and society, carving a unique niche in modern-day and pop culture.

Dedem’s booths have been a mainstay of Italian life for more than six decades, so it’s appropriate Italy’s Pininfarina was tasked to update its design and bring it back into modern-day society in a significant and eye-catching way.

With 3600 machines distributed across the entire Italian territory and over 10 million passport photos printed each year, the Dedem Spa Group – which installed the first Italian passport photo booth back in 1962 – chose the iconic Italian design house Pininfarina to breathe new life into their booths.

Pininfarina has utilised a unique and functional style for the new Dedem booths, focusing on three main aspects: a simple and immediate user experience, adaptability to different urban contexts, and accessibility.

The exterior design results from the interaction of three volumes, giving a sense of dynamism and lightness to the structure while allowing for customisation and harmonious integration in booth interior and outdoor spaces.

The interior features various elements that enhance the user experience, such as the full-wall mirror that creates a sense of spaciousness and comfort. The foldable seat makes the booth accessible and inclusive. Lastly, and in many people’s eyes, most importantly, the user interface has been completely redesigned and digitalised, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.

“Dedem’s story is a small yet significant Italian tale of identity, determination, and excellence. From black and white to colour, from analogic to digital, from the early days of technology to the advent of computers,” says Alberto Rizzi, CEO of the Group.

“Dedem and its booths have always known how to reinvent themselves to keep pace with new technologies and changing citizen needs. With each installation, we have grown year after year while steadfastly upholding the values of “Made in Italy” and a company built on its people and their know-how.

Now, on the verge of going public, we celebrate the many milestones of the Group by giving a renewed identity to our booth, the object that represents us more than any other. We would not have done it without entrusting it to a company like Pininfarina, a shining example of Italian design and a flag bearer for Made in Italy worldwide”.

“Pininfarina has brought to life many icons that have made their mark in automotive history and beyond. With Icona, Pininfarina has worked on the stylistic redefinition of a symbolic object, such as the passport photo booth, as well as its functionality and use experience. Today, we are proud to put our signature on the design of a new icon that will be used by many Italians”, says Silvio Pietro Angori, CEO of Pininfarina.

From the start of 2024, 70 out of the 150 new passport photo booths produced each year will be the new Pininfarina model and will be found in many of Italy’s most exclusive shopping centres.

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