Studio Smarin’s re-U turns furniture making into collective act at BASE Milano

In preparation for Milan Design Week 2026, Studio Smarin launched a workshop at BASE Milano, encouraging individuals to participate in crafting furniture for an installation. Throughout several days in April, over 200 participants, including students, local workers, and community members, collaborated to assemble re-U, a modular furniture system constructed from U-shaped solid wood pieces derived from oak offcuts used in barrel-making. The modules connect using steel connectors and magnetic rods to create various items like seating, desks, partitions, shelving, and micro-architectures, all designed to be easily disassembled for flexibility. This initiative draws inspiration from Enzo Mari’s 1947 Autoprogettazione manual, promoting a culture of project-based design. Stéphanie Marin advocates for this participatory approach in larger institutions, emphasizing that collaborative furniture-making can strengthen community ties. The re-U system is now actively utilized in BASE’s communal areas.