Interview about Triangle Table, winner of the A' Furniture Design Award 2023
Digital design, a dynamic design style, pursuing uncertainties, can create a huge amount of variate by logical algorithm, as well as interact with human.Growth is a structural form with strong vitality.designer tried to grow a table like a tree. It has an irregular desktop, which is made by Medium Density Fiberboard, and hold up intricate and branch like steel legs. Besides, users can arrange tables into different kind of patterns with mathematical logic. It is used in an open office or coffee shop to make the space more rhythmic. Curve desktop facilitates communication.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsIn nature, "growth" is an eternal theme. Not only living organisms but also phenomena like the Qiantang River tidal bore in Hangzhou or the frozen rivers of Iceland exhibit this dendritic, radiating structure. We sought to capture the sense of order behind natural growth phenomena in our design. Nature appears chaotic, yet it is shaped by underlying digital laws. In this process, the computer is not a passive tool but a co-creator—it generates infinite possible forms within preset rules, and the designer then filters and selects the optimal solution that combines both aesthetic appeal and practical function, achieving a truly intelligent human-computer collaborative design.
Irregularity is not arbitrary; it is the result of computational calculation. For product stability, the process—both structurally and materially—must proceed from thick to thin, from robust to delicate. Under the premise of a sound structural logic, simple mathematical formulas (such as mirroring, offsetting, etc.) are used to realize the design. This represents a new balance brought by digital design—breaking traditional symmetrical aesthetics while adhering to the fundamentals of function and ergonomics.
The modular design of the Triangle Table allows it to adapt to different scenarios through various arrangements and combinations. In open-plan offices, multiple tables can be joined to form fluid "islands," promoting informal communication and team collaboration. In cafes, they can be combined into organic cluster layouts. The relationships between people are no longer limited to just "face-to-face" or "side-by-side"; they can be "side-on": friends can talk shoulder-to-shoulder, while strangers can sit back-to-back, oriented slightly away from each other. The furniture and spatial relationships are no longer fixed but "grow" and adapt according to need.
At the beginning of the R&D phase, the global economy was thriving, and the dawn of artificial intelligence was emerging. Leveraging the research team at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, we created this piece using digital design. By 2020, the economic situation had drastically changed, yet research in AI continued to flourish. Faced with contrasting social needs for both "communication" and "privacy/no communication," we developed this product. It aims to maintain human connection in an uncertain environment.
We chose Medium-Density Fibreboard (MDF) primarily because of its layered structure. Because it's layered, each layer can be colored, allowing the product to feature two or more colors. The multi-colored layered edges create a particularly strong design tension. Steel, as a traditional material, was chosen for its strength and ductility, perfectly realizing the complex curves of the branch-like structure while providing stable support. The combination of these two materials symbolizes the fusion of natural inspiration and industrial precision, and is also an extension of the digital design language into materials.
It subverts the traditional model of "designer leads – computer executes." In this process, the computer becomes a creative partner. Through algorithms, it generates forms beyond the scope of human intuition, expanding the boundaries of design possibilities. The designer's role shifts from form-giver to system editor—setting the rules, filtering the outcomes, and injecting aesthetic judgment. This represents a new, synergistic creative relationship.
Contemporary spaces are evolving towards fluidity and hybridity. The modular design of the Triangle Table allows it to respond quickly to scenario changes, from focused work to social activities. It is no longer a fixed piece of furniture but a "spatial grammar," allowing users to define layouts themselves, supporting various activities such as collaboration, display, and relaxation, truly synchronizing with dynamic work and lifestyles.
This collaboration brought the dual advantages of academic depth and market insight. The professional support from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University in algorithm and structural research ensured the design's scientific rigor and innovation. Meanwhile, Freestyle Outdoor Living contributed a keen understanding of user behavior and market trends, ensuring the Triangle Table is not only technically sound but also highly applicable in commercial scenarios.
We employed mathematical principles of symmetry and balance to ensure each triangular unit is visually complete and beautiful on its own, while also allowing for seamless connection when combined. This geometric logic not only gives the product a visual sense of harmony but also grants it high functional flexibility—whether used as standalone furniture or as a combined system, it maintains structural coherence and aesthetic unity.
We believe this is an important direction for the future of furniture design. Digital design is no longer just a formal tool but a bridge connecting natural logic with human needs. Human imagination is limited, but the possibilities generated by algorithms are vast. By using algorithms to capture the order and variation in nature, we compensate for the limits of the designer's imagination. Furniture will become more adaptive, personalized, and vibrant, thereby better addressing core future commercial space issues like sustainability, wellness, and flexibility.
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