Products fair: Plico is a folding trolley cum portable desk that was originally created by German industrial designer Richard Sapper in 1976 and is now being re-released by his frequent collaborator, the Italian brand Alessi.
The design features four wheels and two shelves, allowing it to be used as a food or bar cart, while the top shelf can be flipped vertically by 180 degrees to act as a work surface and side table.
Plico can be used as a desk or a trolley for food and drink
When not in use, the shelves can be collapsed downwards and the back legs folded inwards to create a flat, compact unit. This means the product can be easily stored where space is at a premium, fitting neatly behind doors or in cupboards.
Thanks to the brakes on its two hind wheels, the product can stand on its own even when folded up. "The Plico trolley is probably even more relevant today than when it was first designed because space has become ever more valuable, especially in apartments in urban areas," the late designer's daughter Carola Sapper told Dezeen.
Legs fold down so Plico can be stored in small spaces
Its linear, black steel frame is reminiscent of one of Sapper's most well-known designs, the Tizio desk lamp, which was created for Italian lighting brand Artemide and forms part of the permanent design collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
According to Alessi president Alberto Alessi, the trolley represents a continuation of this legacy, as a "Sapper-style...