Silver Furniture Design · 2020
Lido Expandable Table
- A' Design Award 2020 Silver Winner in Furniture Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Kim Nak Boong Institute of wooden furniture
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 45,078
- Verification code E64F605F8F · Verify this award
About Lido Expandable Table
The Lido folds into a small rectangular box. When folded, it serves as a storage box for small items. If they lift the side plates, joint legs project out from the box and Lido transforms into a tea table or a small desk. Likewise, if they completely unfold the side plates on both sides, it transforms into a large table, with the upper plate having width of 75 Cm. This table can be used as a dining table, especially in Korea and Japan where sitting on the floor while dining is a common culture.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Lido Expandable Table folds into a little orthogonal bin. While it folded, it avails like a storage bin for tiny segments. If somebody lifts the side plates, joint legs project out from the bin and Lido becomes a tea table or a small table. Also, if somebody completely unfolds the side plates on both sides, it turns into a big desk. It could be used for dining table, particularly in Korea and Japan where eating on the floor is a common culture.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 1100w*216d(Unfolding 750d)*296h
- Tags
- Wooden Furniture, Coffee Table, Low Table, Oak Tea Table
- Production Technology
- Prototype is made of oak, but they can be made of any wood.
Finishing is natural oil and varnish - Design Challenge
- Most fold-able and expandable tables have locks for all legs which make it difficult for people to fold and unfold. With ‘LIDO’ you can easily unfold by lifting the side plates and fold by lifting the side plate just fifteen degrees and push the joint legs in.
- Project Duration
- The project started in Aug. 2019 and finished in Nov. 2019 in Seoul, Korea
- Operation Flow
- Unfolding : Just Up & Down
Down Folding : Up, Push & Down - Research
- Distance from the Couch
Tea tables are usually placed in front of couches to drink tea or to temporarily place personal belongings;
however, if the distance between the couch and the tea table is too narrow, it is inconvenient for people to sit on the couch that have a gap in between.
Therefore, placing the tea table in front of the couch is always an issue and a burden for many. Lido solves this issue by allowing people to easily access the belongings on the table by lifting the side plate, which then narrows the gap.
It‘s flexible.
It would be more convenient for people if the table’s size changes based on the number of people using it.
Unfortunately, most tables come in only one size. - Inspiration
- Luce Crack: Turning a dark and closed space into a place where a ray of light shines through and wind passes by Even when folded, Lido has gaps between panels, allowing light and air to come through. When you look from the outside, this gap invokes curiosity and induces people to take a peek.
Colors of Lido Expandable Table
Get Lido Expandable Table
Custom Handcrafted Wooden Furniture Design
We create bespoke solid hardwood furniture combining modern minimal aesthetics with oriental design philosophy. Each piece is meticulously handcrafted in our Seoul workshop, tailored to your specific needs and space requirements. International A' Design Award winner.
G0E3 ShopGrand Interview about Lido Expandable Table
In both Korean and Japanese cultures, when family or friends gather for a meal, people often sit on the floor around a low table placed in the center of the living room. While this creates a warm and intimate dining atmosphere, such low tables take up considerable space when not in use. As a result, people tend to rely on multiple small tables or foldable units that require separate storage, which can be both inconvenient and space-consuming.This led me to imagine a table that could remain compact and useful as a storage bench or tea table in daily life, yet easily transform into a spacious floor-level dining table when needed.
In design, materials such as wood are essential, but the spaces between them—the negative spaces—are equally important. By intentionally creating gaps between the structural panels, each element retains its visual independence. Functionally, these openings allow air to circulate and light to enter the storage compartment, preventing moisture buildup.Thus, the negative space contributes both to a refined aesthetic and to a healthier, more practical storage environment.
Traditional folding tables often require users to engage locking mechanisms every time they open or close the table—a cumbersome process that causes many people to leave the table permanently folded or unfolded.I wanted a mechanism that would allow the tabletop to open simply by lifting it, and fold back down just as easily—something intuitive and effortless. However, the simpler the operation, the greater the risk of accidents caused by small user mistakes, so ensuring safety became the most critical challenge.Through repeated refinement, I developed a joint system that balances ease of use with structural stability, enabling smooth operation while maintaining a safe and secure structure.
People engage in many activities while seated on a sofa, and tables often support those activities. However, to comfortably move in and out of the sofa, the table usually needs to be placed at a distance, making it inconvenient to use.I wanted a table whose surface could naturally extend toward the user without pulling the entire table forward. This idea led to a design in which the tabletop unfolds closer to the body, providing comfort and accessibility even in compact living spaces.
Although the development period was short, the underlying idea had been with me for many years. My earlier work “Prism,” which won a Bronze A'Design Award, also explored similar concepts—making the Lido Table a further evolution of that exploration.The greatest challenge was achieving the most compact folded form possible to minimize its spatial footprint. Multiple rounds of trial and error ultimately enabled me to refine the structure and secure the required stability.
Traditional Korean craftsmanship has long valued avoiding waste and viewed unnecessary decoration as something shameful. In this sense, Korean artisans have practiced a form of minimalism for centuries. Today, I aim to find the point where this tradition resonates with global sensibilities—a place where Korean heritage and contemporary minimalism coexist harmoniously.
I believe minimalism as a lifestyle will continue to grow. As it does, compact and multifunctional furniture will become increasingly essential. I hope that the concept embodied in this table will become a meaningful reference point—or even a motif—for future furniture designed for efficient urban living.
I am delighted that Korea’s traditional belief in valuing simplicity and respecting the spaces between materials has been recognized globally. I hope Korean design—rooted in this cultural heritage—continues to evolve alongside contemporary minimalism and becomes a design language embraced around the world.
One of the enjoyable aspects of using everyday furniture is the sense of surprise that comes from transformation. Much like a toy robot that changes form, I wanted the table’s transformation to offer not only convenience but also delight. My goal was for users to feel a sense of wonder as the furniture shifts gracefully into a new function.
I believe originality is essential. True originality arises from understanding the user’s latent needs and focusing on their fundamental desires. Designers must challenge preconceived notions and overcome what seems impossible to achieve meaningful innovation.