Door hardware is one of the few architectural details people interact with every day. That puts an unusual demand on the design: it has to work visually at the scale of the room and physically in the hand.
FORMANI’s ELEEZ Collection, created with Zaha Hadid Design, approaches that challenge as miniature architecture. The collection takes the sweeping geometry associated with Zaha Hadid’s legacy work and translates it into door, window, and furniture hardware that can carry one design language through an interior.
For architects and designers considering ELEEZ for a hospitality, multifamily, or high-end residential project, here is what you need to know before you put it in the spec.
Who was Zaha Hadid?
Zaha Hadid was one of the most recognizable voices in contemporary architecture, known for fluid geometries, dramatic curves, and buildings that often seem to be in motion. The Iraqi-born British architect founded Zaha Hadid Architects in London and, in 2004, became the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize.
Her best-known projects include the MAXXI Museum in Rome, the London Aquatics Centre and Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku. Across projects like these, movement and continuous, sweeping forms became recurring elements of her architectural language.
That design vocabulary is important to understanding ELEEZ. The collection was developed with Zaha Hadid Design (ZHD), the design studio established by Hadid, and brings those ideas down to a scale you can hold in your hand.
A Quick Introduction to FORMANI
FORMANI began as a Dutch family business and developed into an international architectural hardware brand built around collaborations with top global architects and designers. Rather than treating a lever as an isolated object, FORMANI develops "total concept" collections that extend a common design language across door, window and cabinet hardware.
The brand also puts considerable emphasis on manufacturing, material efficiency and longevity. Its broader sustainability program prioritizes recycled materials where possible, energy-efficient production and a "smart use of materials" policy.
ELEEZ also marks a first for FORMANI. After years of collaborations with prominent male architects and designers, it became the brand’s first collection created in collaboration with a female design studio, Zaha Hadid Design.
Inside the ELEEZ Collection
The inspiration for ELEEZ is a simple helix. Zaha Hadid Design used the spiraling, embracing lines of a helix to shape the collection. A curving incision moves through the handle's cylindrical form, introducing movement without sacrificing the solidity needed for frequently used hardware.
The result is sculptural and distinctly contemporary without losing sight of how the hardware actually feels in use. The lever is comfortable and ergonomic in the hand, while its sweeping cutaway brings the movement and curvature associated with Hadid’s architecture into a much smaller object.
One Elegant Lever Design Across the Collection
Some FORMANI collections offer several lever variations. ELEEZ takes a different approach. One core lever design keeps the collection's helix-inspired form consistent throughout a project.
That form extends beyond the lever. ELEEZ is a total-concept collection encompassing door fittings, window fittings, furniture fittings, and accessories. The range includes door levers, pull handles, fixed door knobs, cabinet knobs, and window hardware, making it easier to carry the same design approach across different applications.
For a boutique hotel, for example, the lever can set the tone at guest-room entries while coordinating pieces carry the same look through millwork, closets, windows, and other touchpoints. In a luxury residence or condominium, the same approach can create continuity between doors and built-in cabinetry without requiring every piece of hardware to look identical.
Six Finish Options
ELEEZ is currently offered in six finishes:
- Satin Stainless Steel
- Bronze
- PVD Satin Black
- PVD Satin Gold
- PVD Light Bronze
- PVD Champagne
Finish availability can change, so confirm current options before finalizing the hardware schedule.
Finish choice matters beyond color. PVD, or physical vapor deposition, creates a thin, durable surface coating while keeping the character of the stainless steel beneath it visible. PVD Satin Gold can be a particularly useful option when a project calls for the warmth of a brass-like finish without the changing patina of unlacquered brass.
Built with Longevity in Mind
ELEEZ uses 100% recycled industrial steel and is 98% recyclable at the end of its life. PVD finishing also supports the collection’s emphasis on durability and longevity.
The sustainability argument here is therefore not limited to end-of-life recyclability. Durable finishes and robust assemblies are intended to reduce the need for replacement, an especially practical consideration in hospitality, multifamily, and other projects where replacing hardware carries material and labor costs.
How to Specify ELEEZ on Your Project
ELEEZ may start with the design, but specifying it means looking closely at the entire opening.
For North American projects in particular, do not select a lever and assume the remaining components will sort themselves out later. FORMANI originates in a European hardware environment, while North American doors, locks, and project conventions can differ substantially.
1. Start With the Opening, Not the Finish
Before finalizing a part number, establish the basic conditions for each opening:
- Function
- Backset
- Door thickness
- Handing, where applicable
- Lock or latch type
Bridgeport's FORMANI Buying Guide uses these details to build complete lockset codes and pair FORMANI trim with appropriate hardware. That exercise should happen early enough that incompatibility doesn't surface after doors have already been prepped.
2. Confirm the Lock Platform
FORMANI hardware is traditionally associated with European-style locks, but Bridgeport's North American program supports both European and U.S. standard latch and lock options, including North American mortise and interior tubular solutions.
Do not treat that compatibility as permission to mix components without verification. Coordinate the selected ELEEZ trim, function, lock body, door preparation, and spindle requirements as one assembly.
For U.S. projects, Bridgeport can help translate the FORMANI specification into a complete North American hardware package.
3. Check Dimensions Against the Door and Surrounding Details
The standard ELEEZ ZH100 lever is 146 mm long, with an overall projection of approximately 64 mm and a 53 mm rose. Review its full dimensions against the door condition, adjacent trim, and required clearances before finalizing the opening.
The collection also includes the ZH400 pull handle, with 400 mm fixing centers and a 423 mm overall length. It is available for wood, glass, and aluminum doors, with bolt-through, concealed, and back-to-back fixing options.
Those dimensions matter on narrow stiles, glazed doors, and openings where nearby millwork, frames, or other hardware could interfere with operation.
4. Build a Finish Schedule Before Ordering
If ELEEZ will appear across doors, cabinetry, and windows, establish the finish strategy for the complete package rather than approving individual pieces in isolation.
Pay particular attention to components outside the ELEEZ family that will sit immediately beside the collection, such as cylinders or sliding-door components. The Bronze finish can require extra care when matching adjacent hardware because of its distinctive appearance.
For projects where consistency over time is a priority, the PVD finishes are worth considering because of their durability and resistance to visible finish change.
5. Get a Sample Into the Material Review
A finish on a screen is not the same as a finish beside your project's stone, wood veneer, plumbing fixtures, and lighting. FORMANI offers a sample program specifically for architects and designers, and Bridgeport recommends incorporating the hardware into material and mood-board reviews.
For ELEEZ, a sample also lets the design team evaluate something drawings cannot fully communicate: the transition between the cylindrical body and sculpted cutaway, the weight of the stainless steel, and the feel of the lever in operation.
ELEEZ Specification Checklist
Before releasing the hardware package, confirm:
- Each ELEEZ application is clearly identified on the schedule.
- Locks, trim, spindles, and door preparation have been coordinated as a complete assembly.
- Dimensions and clearances have been checked against the actual openings.
- Final finishes have been approved using physical samples.
Specifying ELEEZ With Confidence
ELEEZ makes the most sense when the hardware is meant to contribute to the project rather than disappear into it. With the right finish, opening configuration, and supporting components, the collection can become a deliberate part of the interior from the first door schedule through final material review.
Want to see ELEEZ beyond the drawings? Watch the full Hardware Hipsters: FORMANI ELEEZ Collection episode for a closer look at the hardware, finishes, and details that are easier to understand with the pieces in hand.
European Design Paired with North American Service
Bridgeport Worldwide smooths out the process of specifying the finest in European and international decorative hardware for U.S. projects. We stock our own inventory and samples in our Connecticut Headquarters, work with local show rooms and dealers throughout North America, and all our expert representatives are right here in the United States.
We also work directly with European and international manufacturers - such as Formani - to develop unique products that truly fit the needs of the U.S. and Canadian market. If ELEEZ or other Formani collections look right for your project, contact the hardware experts at Bridgeport Worldwide directly for help with samples, technical questions, compatibility, and dealer coordination throughout North America.
FAQs About FORMANI’s ELEEZ Collection
Is ELEEZ only appropriate for residential projects?
No. ELEEZ works across high-end residential, hospitality, and commercial interiors, especially when the hardware is meant to contribute visibly to the overall design rather than blend into the background.
Can I see ELEEZ samples before specifying the collection?
Yes. FORMANI offers samples for architects and designers, so you can review the finish, weight, and feel of the hardware alongside other project materials before approving final selections.
Should ELEEZ hardware be reviewed alongside other metal finishes?
Yes. Reviewing physical samples next to lighting, plumbing fixtures, hinges, and other nearby metalwork is especially useful when finish coordination matters across the project.
Can Bridgeport help with an ELEEZ specification before ordering?
Yes. Bridgeport can help North American specifiers coordinate product selection, compatibility, samples, and the supporting hardware needed to turn an ELEEZ selection into a complete package.
Where can I get technical drawings and product data?
FORMANI and Bridgeport Worldwide provide technical drawings, fact sheets, and, where available, downloadable DWG files for individual products. Bridgeport Worldwide can also help North American specifiers with technical questions and product coordination.
