The polygonal texture is inspired by the shell of the Indian star tortoise, characterised by its unique shape. Evolution has sculpted the carapace of these animals according to a precise geometric conformation - the gömböc - with the aim of allowing the tortoise to return to its position after toppling over. The gömböc is a solid with unique characteristics of stable balance and therefore able to intrigue and fascinate.
The second texture is a thick, lived-in skin, inspired by the animal's longevity. The robust leather represented here offers a third link to the 'tortoise', no longer zoological but military: it was in fact the most common covering of the Roman shield, used by the Latin army for over twelve centuries. Many will remember that the militia deployed a compact and impregnable infantry formation called the Roman tortoise.