Robert van Embricqs has followed up on his folding chair design with this exploration, in plywood, for a collapsible table. Cut from a single sheet, the individual elements are cleverly hinged to unfold into a table form. The lattice work elements are strategically hinged and interlaced to provide structure and functionality to the design. In his own words:"The Rising Table concept is part of the Rising…furniture formula that finds its roots in the Rising Chair. This means that once again, the origins of this design can be traced back to the rather simple idea of starting with a flat surface that is capable of transforming into a piece of stylishly designed furniture. In designing the Rising Table, I felt it was of paramount importance that the source materials both dictated and guided the ultimate design, while ensuring practical appliance and usability. During the design process, I made a point of sticking as close to nature as possible. Using natural design concepts for inspiration, I studied the various ways in which transformations take place in nature without the cumbersome involvement of man. This inspired the incision pattern in the flat surface of the wood that resulted into the creation of a latticework of ‘woven’ wooden beams that make up the center of the table. By emphasizing nature’s logic, a seemingly random collection of wooden beams organically merges to form the figuratively beating heart of the Rising Table."
Contemporist Article: http://www.contemporist.com/2012/02/17/rising-table-by-robert-van-embricqs/
Embricqs Blog: http://robertarchitecture.blogspot.com/
