A table designed to be carried, shared, and assembled together
This project was conceived as a tribute to Enzo Mari and to one of his most radical archetypes, the Frate table from 1973 and its counterpart Fratello, both in continuous production for over fifty years. Rather than a formal quotation, this work is an exercise in study and deconstruction, a way to analyze an iconic structure and understand its rules, language, and constructive logic, translating them into a new interpretation.
“Fradeo” is a Venetian dialect word meaning brother, used to describe a close, equal bond between two people formed through shared effort and collaboration rather than blood ties.
The challenge for us was not only to engage with Mari’s legacy, but also with one of the most complex cities, Venice, which is not naturally suited to accommodating large-scale furniture. A tabletop measuring 3 × 1.5 meters required careful consideration not only of form, but also of transport, accessibility, and real use within the urban environment.
Enzo Mari decided to develop the series of tables in 1973, which includes Frate, Fratello, and Cugino, as a group of objects connected by a single constructive principle. More than formal variations, the three models represent an exercise in design consistency, where the same structure and values are applied across different scales and functions, maintaining a strong conceptual link between all the pieces.
This led to the idea of a table that is large yet demountable, solid yet capable of being reduced to a compact volume, able to move through the narrow Venetian streets as well as any other context. The assembly process in its transport configuration becomes an integral part of the project and turns into a shared gesture. In this phase, the legs and the table’s frame transform into a kind of stretcher, an essential and intuitive transport system that temporarily overturns the object’s function.
Once it reaches its destination, the table is reassembled and returns to its original role as a working surface. The structure consists of a plywood top finished with laminate and a framework of beech wood beams connected through T-shaped elements to matte-painted steel trestles that support the entire system.
The names Frate, Fratello, and Cugino are Italian for Friar, Brother, and Cousin. Frate refers to the main table, evoking the idea of a “big brother” or a guiding figure, while Fratello and Cugino are smaller, related pieces. Together, the names suggest a family-like hierarchy and highlight the conceptual connection between the tables.
Alessandro Mason, Davide Biancucci
Aljoša Marković
Luca Padovani
Filippo Rossi