A new and innovative look at stone as the main material of table

In the third OBJET exhibition, designers and artists were invited to find a design solution for the following question:

How can an object like a table provide a gathering space for people and become a place for spending long hours and doing joint activities?

The Objet exhibition takes place between art, industry, and audience, and the connection between theory and the designer’s thought is the most important thing.

Our design ideas for this coffee table are represented not only in the form and materials but also in the function. Following a freeform silhouette, this unique coffee table is a combination of two components: polished iron elements and rough grey marble stone. While the stone plays a foundational role and is unique, there are several metal elements as serving spots. The five metal elements are held by the stone in the middle and extend into space, creating balance. The original function of stone is heaviness and fulcrum, as found in nature. In contrast, metal elements have flexible and free forms and are placed on different levels. This coffee table is architecturally inspired by the plants that grow from under the rock. Flexibility is not just in the form of iron elements, the function is also flexible and free. This means that based on the number of users and the location of each one, we can create different combinations as if each time the table has a different and customized form, depending on individual furnishing needs. An interactive form that is affected by the diversity and the number of users. Due to the designers’ limited-intervention approach in the face of the stone as the central part of the table, the stone preserves its expressive shape and strong organic aesthetic. The approximate dimensions of it are 40 cm x 60 cm, and its weight is about 60 kg.

Generally, the creation of this sculptural work is the result of studying materials’ characteristics and functions, transforming a piece of material into an expression and meaning, applying different techniques, and mixing raw and smooth textures that add to the pieces’ richness. We looked to the close companionship of plants and stones in nature for inspiration, citing them as an influence on our creative work. Finally, the quality workmanship and finishing by hand created the uniqueness of this object.