Network Coffee Table

“Network” is part of my ongoing exploration into transforming computer-optimized designs into functional, producible objects. This coffee table embodies structural clarity and lightness, achieved with a framework of 60 straight steel bars that form a strikingly open and minimalist design.

The process started with a 3D model, which I refined into an efficient structure. By simplifying the initial model down to 60 straight lines, I created a form that’s both practical and visually compelling. Each bar was welded together in the workshop using precise molds, ensuring a balanced and sturdy frame. Although steel is typically heavy, this design gives the table an airy and transparent presence, enhanced by the use of smoked glass as the tabletop. This smoked glass subtly reveals the structure beneath, making the geometric network of steel bars an integral part of the table’s aesthetic.

I’m drawn to honest, exposed structures inspired by industrial forms like bridges and frameworks, where construction and materiality are celebrated. For “Grid,” I used recycled rebar from a concrete factory to emphasize sustainability and raw authenticity. The smoked glass tabletop complements the geometry of the steel frame while maintaining a light, refined feel. This design approach brings the table’s internal structure to life, allowing every angle to reveal new lines and layers.