Iterative Studio’s Louis Hung, interior designer Iris Ho and product designer Flora Lee collaborated to come up with a set of table and chair based on Stanley Wong’s design brief. With the mentoring of architect, interior and product designer Steve Leung, they designed a dual-layer wooden table to fulfil the needs of calligraphy writing and tea ceremony separately. Production mentor Gary Lui (S&C Furniture Ltd) assisted the production of their design.
The design focuses on materiality and geometry driven by its function. It displays the equipment of the traditional tea ceremony as beautiful lines and emphasises on the geometry of precise wood craft. Initially, it presents itself as a simple wooden table top that is almost soft for day to day use and a surface for chinese calligraphy. Brass-finished details are added to certain areas to further accentuate the aesthetics.
The table can also be transformed from a calligraphy table to a tea ceremony. The designers referenced the ceremony procedures practiced by the Japanese. The tabletop can be detached and slid into the ends of the table. The secondary layer of slate is complemented by oak to provide the second surface for tea making ceremonies.
The two uses which are contrasting in nature, both in function and in the senses, are separated physically and aesthetically, but tied to the core concept of “Zen”. The piece, although not extravagant, uses precision woodcraft techniques and joints to make it a delicate and precise piece.
Materials:
Walnut, oak, brass-finished stainless steel
