There are objects that are born for a specific purpose and, precisely for this reason, have a shape that is hard to forget.

The nassa (fish trap) is one of these.

In the dictionary, a nassa is a particular fishing trap, generally made as a sort of container or net with an opening that allows fish to enter, then making it difficult for them to exit. It is an ancient tool, simple in its conception but extremely effective in its function.

Observing it, however, I started to wonder something:

What if this shape, instead of being used for fishing, could be transformed into something completely different?

From this question, the idea for the Nassa Pencil Case was born.

From a fish trap to a pencil case

The idea was not simply to take a fish trap and use it as a container.

The real project was to reinterpret its concept.

The fish trap is a structure designed to contain. Its net creates a protected space, but at the same time allows what is inside to be seen.

And it is precisely this aspect that struck me.

A traditional pencil case completely hides its contents. By opening it, you discover what it contains.

The Nassa, on the other hand, is born with a different idea:

to contain, to protect, and to display.

From here, the transformation process began.

When an object changes function

One of the most interesting parts of the project was precisely this: taking an object linked to the world of fishing and transferring its logic to a completely new context.

The fish trap, in fact, is not copied.

It is reinterpreted.

Its most recognizable characteristics become design elements of the pencil case: the net structure, the wrap-around shape, the concept of containment, and the relationship between what is inside and what is outside.

The result is an object that preserves the identity of the fish trap but completely changes its function.

From a fishing tool, it becomes an everyday container.

From a traditional object, it becomes a contemporary product.

From a net, a pencil case is born.

Why a pencil case, specifically?

A pencil case is a simple object, present in the daily life of so many people.

It serves to collect, organize, and transport small items: pens, pencils, markers, work tools, or anything we want to always have with us.

Precisely because of this simplicity, however, pencil cases are often all very similar.

My goal was to create something different.

I didn't just want to design another pencil case.

I wanted to create an object that had a story to tell.

And the story of Nassa starts right from its origin.

The net becomes the star

One of the fundamental elements of the project is the net.

In the fish trap, the net is not just a material: it is what defines the object's identity.

In the Nassa Pencil Case, the same thing happens.

The net becomes an integral part of the design and is not hidden. On the contrary, it is highlighted.

This allows for the creation of a pencil case that is visually light, recognizable, and intriguing.

But above all, it introduces a unique feature:

the content can be seen.

It is no longer necessary to open the pencil case to understand what is inside.

At a glance, one can get an idea of its contents, creating a direct relationship between the object and what it contains.

A pencil case that doesn't hide

This is perhaps the idea that best represents the project.

The Nassa Pencil Case is not created to hide items, but to organize them while keeping them visible.

The transparency of the net allows you to see pens and pencils, quickly recognize what you need, and always keep the contents under control.

A small change that can make using a pencil case more intuitive.

The function, therefore, does not derive only from the shape.

It is the shape itself that suggests how to use the object.

From the sea to the desk

The fascination of the project also lies in the contrast between two very distant worlds.

On one side is the sea, fishing, tradition, and an object born for an ancient trade.

On the other is the desk, school, work, drawing, and daily creativity.

The Nassa Pencil Case brings these two worlds into communication.

It is a reinterpretation that brings an element of marine culture into a completely different context.

And this transition is precisely what makes the project interesting:

an object changes its meaning completely when the context in which it is used changes.

It’s not just a pencil case

Nassa is therefore born from a simple principle:

observing a common object from a different point of view.

The fish trap already exists.

The pencil case already exists.

But what happens when you combine the characteristics of both?

Something new is born.

The Nassa Pencil Case aims to be exactly this: an example of how design can start from a traditional object, analyze its shape and function, and transform it into something contemporary.

It is not just about changing the appearance of a product.

It is about changing the way we perceive it.

The philosophy behind Nassa

Behind this project is also a broader idea of design.

We often think of innovation as something that must be completely new.

In reality, innovating can also mean looking at what already exists with new eyes.

The fish trap is a perfect example.

It is an ancient object, born for a very specific function. But by observing its structure, characteristics emerge that can be applied to other objects: containing, protecting, organizing, and making visible.

And it is precisely this reinterpretation that gave life to Nassa.

Nassa: a new idea for a pencil case

The Nassa Pencil Case is therefore born from the encounter between tradition and innovation.

It takes inspiration from an ancient tool and transforms it into a contemporary, everyday, and functional object.

It is a pencil case that does not want to go unnoticed.

It wants to tell the story of where it comes from.

It wants to show what it contains.

It wants to demonstrate that even a seemingly simple object can become a design project when you start with a question:

“What if we could use this thing in a completely different way?”

Thus, from a fish trap, a new way of thinking about the pencil case is born.

Nassa is no longer just a net for fishing.

It is an idea transformed into an object.

And it all started by observing a simple net from the sea.