Easel Collection
The project aims to actively involve local communities in the design and construction of a modular pop-up street furniture system, intended to promote integration and intercultural dialogue. The system draws inspiration from the Chinese tradition of knots and from the manual skills of the various communities involved. Easel Collection is conceived as a modular kit of nine interlocking elements: the joints are reinforced by decorative and structural knots, evoking the aesthetic and symbolism of cultural and social bonds. Through a participatory process, the system allows for a range of configurations — seating, parasols, or combinations of both — adapting to the needs of the urban space and its inhabitants. Integration into urban flowerbeds adds a further layer of connection with the environment, transforming the space into a shared meeting point.
Industrial Design
2026
Rhino, Keyshot
The context
Easel Collection responds to the specific context of Piazza Garibaldi (Naples), a place of great cultural richness but lacking spaces that give that richness room and bring it together. The absence of comfortable gathering points — seating, shade — amplifies social divides and hinders the conviviality and dialogue between the many communities that inhabit and pass through the square.
The communities
The project aims to actively involve the local communities that live in and give life to Piazza Garibaldi, particularly young people, men and women from the different ethnic groups present. Work in Progress and Dedalus will play a central role as coordinators and mediators, facilitating cross-cultural dialogue and promoting shared use of the product.
The approach
At the heart of Easel Collection is self-construction. This approach fosters collaboration between communities, while the variety of possible configurations enriches the outcomes. The ability to move seating according to need or to reconfigure the shading creates a freedom of use that amplifies the project's value, forging a synergistic bond between design, place, and people.
The goal
The project aims to spark active, constructive participation from the communities who inhabit Piazza Garibaldi, encouraging new points of contact and dialogue between the different ethnic and social groups present. The goal is to improve the overall liveability of the space — transforming it into something inclusive, welcoming, and shared — while working to reduce social inequalities and build a collective sense of belonging.
Assembly sequence
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