The Challenge Commissioned by Raro Design for an exclusive collection featuring nine selected designers, I was invited to give my personal interpretation of the traditional Neapolitan coffee cup. The challenge was to distinguish my contribution within this collective project by looking beyond the object itself, focusing instead on the experience of the ritual and the preservation of local cultural heritage.

The Concept My approach balanced ergonomics with secret storytelling. I researched the specific gestures of coffee consumption to create a shape that encourages a slower, more deliberate pause. The core innovation is an "unveiling" mechanism, a hidden narrative that I designed to be revealed only through the physical interaction between the user and the object.

The Design Paying homage to 18th-century Capodimonte pottery, I designed the saucer to feature six distinct historical views of Naples (Parthenope). These vistas remain hidden while the cup is at rest and are revealed only during the sip. This design choice symbolically connects the taste of the coffee directly to the land of its origin.

The Outcome Hand-crafted entirely from Neapolitan pottery, this piece stands as my signature contribution to the Raro Design collection. Each cup bears the natural imperfections of artisanal mastery, resulting in a tactile celebration of history that merges contemporary design with authentic Italian craftsmanship.

Raro Design Collection

material pottery

colors yellow / red / white / green

dimensions 

cup - diameter 55 mm , h 60 mm

saucer - diameter 120 mm, h 100 mm

Ph Matteo Anatrella