Italian designers Michele Menescardi and Cristian Gori have launched their first joint project, TRAYY, a modular table system built for offices and classrooms. The collection, developed for furniture manufacturer Actiu, aims to balance individual focus with team collaboration—a challenge in modern workspaces.
A system built for flexibility
The design began with a simple question: Why can’t designers collaborate like musicians do when composing? The answer became TRAYY, a collection that adapts to different needs without sacrificing simplicity. Tables can be configured with wheels or leveling feet, arranged as single desks, meeting tables, or bench systems for up to four people.
Gori noted that just two or three structural elements can create a wide variety of setups. “This minimized technical complexity while keeping the system flexible,” he said. The approach also establishes a foundation for future expansions, ensuring the collection can evolve with changing work habits.
At its core, TRAYY relies on die-cast aluminum joints, a choice that defines its visual identity while improving stability. Menescardi called the component the “heart of the collection,” explaining that it allows diverse configurations with minimal parts. The collaboration with Actiu’s technical team was key to refining the design for durability and ease of use.
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Designed for real-world use
The system isn’t just about structure. Integrated lighting, power connectivity, and accessories like whiteboards, planters, and storage containers can be added to suit different tasks. Users can also customize finishes, choosing from melamine, timber, or powder-coated steel legs to match their space.
The designers wanted TRAYY to feel informal and intuitive, avoiding the rigidity of traditional office furniture. That philosophy extends to its construction—built for heavy use but simple enough to reconfigure on the fly. It’s a response to workplaces that no longer fit a single mold, where teams shift between solo work and group projects without warning.
What’s next for the system isn’t clear, but its modular nature suggests it could expand beyond offices and schools. The aluminum joints, for example, might lend themselves to public spaces or even residential settings. For now, though, TRAYY remains focused on the environments it was designed for: places where people need to think alone and together, often in the same hour.
Menescardi and Gori’s partnership may have started with a casual conversation, but the result is a product that tries to solve a real problem. Whether it succeeds will depend on how well it fits into the unpredictable rhythms of modern work.
