“A Battle of Beasts” is a playful installation that reimagines the brick — a symbol of structure, sturdiness, and repetition — through the lens of Dou Shou Qi and Xiangqi, traditional Chinese strategy games. In this work, the game becomes a source of inspiration, positioning culture as a driver of innovation and transforming the brick into a surface of possibility: a canvas where tradition, fantasy, and play converge.
Using an innovative ceramic printing process, patterns and illustrations inspired by game boards, symbols, and the worlds of Dou Shou Qi and Xiangqi are digitally printed onto clay bricks. The result is a playground-like landscape where design itself becomes a form of cultural storytelling.
The project reflects on the human desire to continually innovate and evolve. By connecting participants with both tradition and new visual narratives, the work proposes a cycle where reflection on the past shapes the possibilities of the future.
GROOVIDO is a furniture design studio that transforms creative challenges into distinctive pieces through a singular visual aesthetic. Explorative in nature, the studio engages with tradition while introducing new cultural influences, materials, colours, and production techniques.
Founded in 2020 by Gianmaria Della Ratta (b. 1993, Italy) and Giorgio Gasco (b. 1992, Italy) following their Master’s in Contextual Design at Design Academy Eindhoven, GROOVIDO continues to push the boundaries of contemporary furniture design.