One of the four standard suits in the Italian deck of cards – swords, batons, coins and cups – carries a rich story that connects past and present. The cups motif has evolved over centuries, from the Middle East through the European Renaissance to everyday Mediterranean life, as part of card games such as briscola and tresette, but also as a visual motif that reflects harmony, rhythm and the aesthetics of classical art.
Cups evoke memories of play, shared moments, summer evenings, laughter and the ritual of briscola passed down through generations. From this layer of collective memory emerges a contemporary reinterpretation that translates a traditional symbol into a new spatial and material context.
The “Kope” collection comprises bookends and a side table, in which the motif moves from flat graphic form into a three-dimensional object while retaining its recognisable form in a contemporary, dynamic expression.
Produced using binder jetting technology in collaboration with the German manufacturer Sandhelden, the collection brings together natural material and digital production. Quartz sand gives the objects a strong spatial presence, while their tactility carries layers of history and memory. In this way, the card becomes more than a game element – it is transformed into a spatial fragment that unites tradition, emotion and timeless elegance.