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From Basalt to Racetrack: Merging Nature and Speed in Modern Table Design
Practical and Stylish: Design Concept for an Affordable, Modern Dining Table
Today, we’d like to share an interesting design exploration with you.
A friend of Stratum, and professional race car driver, mentioned a particular need when moving into his new apartment. He needed a practical yet stylish dining table in Geneva that would suit his lifestyle and tastes, at an affordable price (as he tends to splurge on things that come with powerful engines). Seeing this as an opportunity for a design exploration, we decided to use his interests as a muse for our creative process.
Our initial idea was to draw inspiration from the columnar basalt formations found in nature. We landed on this concept, as our friend is drawn to our shelf designs, but as he himself has a very powerful build, we wanted to find a design inspiration that embodies both strength and durability. We envisioned integrating grouped columns into a sturdy and visually appealing design that would resonate with our friend’s personal style and taste.
However, as we delved deeper into the project, we discovered another source of inspiration that we think reflects his passion for racing. The basalt column inspiration started morphing into what looked like the “chicane” section of a racetrack – a notoriously winding section that challenges even the most skilled drivers.
By incorporating the serpentine shapes of the chicane, our table design not only pays homage to our friend’s expertise in drift racing, it also adds a unique twist to the traditional dining table.
This is a design project in its exploratory phase, that we hope to bring to life. As we develop this custom wood and glass dining table we want to be especially mindful of the space for knees around the serpentine shape as well as fine-tune the proportions to strike a harmonious balance between form and function.
In the end, we revisited our sketches and refined a final design, arranging the columns as one would typically expect to see them in a columnar basalt formation. We contrasted the robust, linear base with a sleek, elliptical glass top, creating an appealing balance of strength and elegance.
It’s tough to choose a clear winner among our iterations. Which one stands out as the top contender for you?