form follows | narinna

the urge to rethink chess pieces has been simmering for years —

an instinct that exploring this could lead to something worthwhile
but how do you address the task ?
where is the essence of the piece ?
is it in its role within the kingdom ?
in the hierarchy among them ?
what defines the form ?
and what are the consequences of
ignoring classical standards ?
would a minimal, un-dressed set be less playable ?
or could it actually enhance gameplay ?

figures

form follows faculty

the classical archetypes of chess figures are
revisited in their essence in this set:
each figure’s form thus contains clues to its capacity and reach:
the knight is defined by L-shaped line, diagonals guide the bishop,
while the queen and king rest on a all-rounded cylinder base,
and the rook maintains the classical image of the castle form,
following straight lines along ranks and files.
all acting figures share the same height, challenging the conventional
hierarchy, while the pawns in the front line stand at half their height.
movement is contained in form.

photograph by: Riccardo de Vecchi

stacking principle

figures are designed with unit-based measure:
two stacked pawns stand up for an acting figure, while rook

and bishop, king and queen form partners: three pawn tall.
for storage, the figures are arranged in three-unit columns,

with 7 columns per player

photograph by: Riccardo de Vecchi

limited edition
production of form follows set is done on
made-to-order basis in limited number

photo credits

narinna, Riccardo de Vecchi

support on material and technique
studio Ploca