Jane Tray

"Jane" is the work of Chinese architect Liu Jiakun (Jiakun Architects), created as part of Alessi's "(Un)Forbidden City" project — an initiative that invited eight Chinese architects to reinterpret the classic Alessi tray, exhibited at Beijing Design Week 2011. Jiakun's design draws on the form of an ancient Chinese writing surface: 26 identical anodized aluminum bars, fastened together with stainless steel hardware, that recall a rolled bamboo mat.

Each bar is angled at a precise 89.43 degrees rather than a flat 90, giving the assembled surface a subtle curve. The result is a tray that can flex between roles — laid flat as a serving surface, or rolled partway to create a handle for carrying. At 36.5 x 24 cm, it's a genuine piece of design engineering as much as tableware.