Sō

A table series
in collaboration with
tossa

Autumn 2023

For some years now, I have been working as an architect on techniques that make it possible to bridge larger spans with short wooden elements.

I am particularly interested in so-called lever beam structures, an archaic structural principle that was mainly used for bridges and roofs in China and Japan. Leonardo da Vinci also used this technique to develop a lightweight wooden dome.

In a lever beam structure, at least three elements lie on top of each other in such a way that one rests on another and in turn serves as a support for another. As only two elements touch each other, the connections between them can be simple. This contrast between simple joints and the complex interplay of parts inspired me to use the lever-rod principle in furniture construction.

In this series of tables, a large number of identical rods support each other and create a rotating basic figure. The simple squared timbers are joined using a further development of a traditional wooden joint and are stabilised by their own weight and that of the table top.

The tables alternate between a sculptural overall form and a dissolution into individual elements and appears different from every perspective thanks to the eccentrically arranged rods. This makes them ideal as the centre of a room.

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image courtesy: tossa