Rio Alu by Raffaello Galiotto, extendable but simple and practical in handling

An extendable table, designed for outdoors, with its aesthetic defined by a characteristic and striking series of slats. Made wholly of aluminum, Rio Alu, design Raffaello Galiotto for Nardi, is fitted with an opening mechanism that allows the structure to slide out while keeping the legs at the ends, so eliminating the inconvenience of having the supports clustered in the center. Thanks to this feature, once extended, it can comfortably seat up to 10 people. It is also designed with a perfect system of rapid coupling for the extensions so that, once opened, it becomes a flawless long fixed table.

The peculiar slightly slatted texture of the aluminum top gives it a pleasantly tactile appearance. The tops and legs are in aluminum painted in anthracite, white and taupe. The top also comes in DurelTop. The top is also available in two sizes: length 140 cm, extendable to 210 cm, with a width of 85 cm and a height of 75.2 cm; or length 210 cm, extendable to 280 cm, with a width of 100 cm and a height of 75.2 cm.

At a glance

What is it?
An extendable table for outdoor use and primarily intended for domestic use.
What is the design concept?
The project responds to a specific functional requirement: being extendable but simple and practical in handling, as well as having no joint between top and extension when at full length.
How is it made?
The structure and top are in extruded aluminum, the corners in die-cast aluminum and both are powder coated. The finishing elements are in fiberglass polypropylene.
How is it produced and where?
The aluminum elements are all made to a design with their own molds and products from Italian foundries. The extruded and die-cast parts are machined in-house by the company. The whole production cycle is Italian.
How is it manufactured?
A product like this, an assembly of various parts made of different materials, requires a profound knowledge of processes and control of all the details to prevent malfunctioning. The project has to consider the production operations, fixing systems, tolerances and assembly procedures, which need to be simplified as far as possible to reduce time and avoid errors.
What makes it special?
Rio Alu combines aesthetic qualities, strength, lightness, ease of use and an innovative patented handling system. All at a price that is far from excessive.
What is it like?
Rigorous in its lines, functional, sturdy.
How does the designer describe it?
“Sometimes this type of project, in which the formal character is rather less conspicuous than its functioning, takes me back to a more sincere design in which the forms are devised with the purpose of better fulfilling people’s needs, where everything is resolved with the aim and ambition of being the best possible solution.”