Enzo Mari: When Wood Becomes a Story. Discover Iconic Children's Designs from Danese Milano

Can a toy also be a work of art exhibited at MoMA in New York? If Enzo Mari designed it, the answer is a resounding yes. At the Design Museum, we believe that taste is refined from childhood, which is why in our shop you will find legendary pieces from the Italian brand Danese Milano that have remained timeless for over sixty years.

Enzo Mari (1932–2020) was a visionary. He hated cheap, gaudy toys that became boring after a week. He wanted to create objects that develop imagination, logic, and a sense of form. His work for Danese Milano is now considered the gold standard of "educational design."

16 Animali: A puzzle with no limits

The main star of our Mari collection is undoubtedly the wooden puzzle 16 Animali (16 Animals). It is a fascinating object carved from a single piece of oak wood.

• What's the magic? Mari spent years simplifying the shapes of animals so that they fit together perfectly like a puzzle. An elephant, a hippopotamus, a camel, or a giraffe – all form a harmonious whole.

• Play without instructions: There is no single correct way to play with the animals. Children build towers, create zoos, or discover how the shapes fit together. They thus develop their spatial imagination without even realizing it.

Wooden figures and a world of fantasy

In addition to the famous animal puzzle, you will also find other Mari objects and figures here. Each of them is a celebration of material and minimalism. Mari believed that the less "literal" a toy is, the more space it gives to a child's mind. His wooden figures are not just toys – they are sculptures that will grow with your children. Once they stop playing with them, they will become an iconic addition to your interior.

Books that speak without words

Complementing the wooden objects are Mari's author's books. Like Bruno Munari, Enzo Mari also experimented with format. His books often don't use text but tell stories through colors, shapes, and sequences of images. They are "visual alphabets" that teach children (and adults) to perceive the world around them in its purest form.

Why take home a piece of Enzo Mari?

An investment in design from Danese Milano is not an investment in a one-season toy. It is a piece of history that is passed down from generation to generation. In Malá Strana, we have selected the best that Mari's legacy has to offer for you.

Come and feel these wooden treasures. But we warn you – once you pick up 16 Animali, you won't want to let them go. The weight of the wood and the perfection of the shapes are utterly addictive.