Fs418 Tepu Mahi by Felix Schwake is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Parahi in Hoahoa Taputapu Tari Competition Category.

ParahiTaputapu Tari· 2025

Fs418 Tepu Mahi

by Felix Schwake

Client: Confidential Individual Project

A' Design Award Parahi Winner in Taputapu Tari Category

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Verified Award Winner
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Colors

The Design

About Fs418 Tepu Mahi

Ko te FS418 he tepu mahi i hoahoatia mō te whakamahi tari motuhake. Ko te āhua kotahi o te hanganga e whakamahara ana ki tētahi poraka mapere pakari. I hangaia te tepu mai i ngā papa mapere Carrara 2 cm te matotoru, he mata whakamaeneene, i whakahiatohia ā-ringa, ā, ko te taha o roto i hangaia mai i te rākau ash pakari, i oti i te peita ngeru pango. Ko ngā wāhi rokiroki mō ngā taputapu tuhituhi me ngā tuhinga kei roto huna i te tinana, i te taha o ngā puna hiko, HDMI me ngā hononga whatunga. Ka taea te kukume te mata tepu whaka mua ki te kaiwhakamahi kia kitea ai ngā rokiroki me ngā puna. Ka noho huna tonu ngā taura, nā reira ka noho ma tonu, ma-kore hoki te mata.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Parahi

Ko Fs418 Tepu Mahi te toa o te A' Design Award Parahi, he whakaaetanga tino whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa kōeke e tohua ana mā te auaha, te mahi mōhio me te whakaaro hōhonu. Ko ngā toa Parahi he mahi pukenga e rite ana, he auaha mīharo, e whakatūturu ana i te wheako nui, te whakaaro me te mōhio-ā-ringa o ā rātou kaihoahoa. E tūmanakohia ana ko Fs418 Tepu Mahi he taonga whakanuia, whakamīharotia, aroha nui, he ngaio, he auaha hoki. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Parahi e whakauru ana i ngā tikanga pai rawa i te toi, te pūtaiao, te hoahoa me te hangarau, ā, he tino mīharo ki ngā taipitopito. Ka whakatutuki a Fs418 Tepu Mahi i ngā hiahia, ka pā ki ngā hiahia, ka whakaoho i ngā kare-ā-roto, ā, ka kume i te pākiki.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This desk boasts a monolithic, minimalist design akin to a solid marble block. It uniquely conceals storage space for writing tools and paperwork, as well as sockets for charging electronic devices like mobile phones or laptops within its body. The retractable writing surface keeps essentials accessible yet hidden, ensuring a tidy, clutter-free workspace. This design maintains the desk's pure, clean aesthetic, free from visible cables and everyday office mess, even during regular use.
Dimensions & Packaging: The table dimensions are 2400 mm in width, 1000 mm in depth, and 750 mm in height. The table has a triangular shape, providing spacious interior storage. The outer edges of the table measure 20 mm, while the thickest part is 280 mm.
Tags: Forest Walk, abstract design, marble desk, custom furniture, interior design, functional art, Carrara marble, handcrafted furniture, executive desk, luxury office furniture
Production Technology: The table is crafted from marble selected personally from a quarry in Carrara. It features a lightweight construction using 2cm marble slabs with a honed surface, all assembled by hand. The interior is made of hand-selected solid ash wood, finished with black lacquer. The table includes technical features such as HDMI, RJ45, and two power sockets. The design is custom-made in terms of size, features, and materials to suit the specific project requirements.
Design Challenge: The hardest part was maintaining the vision of a forest walk experience through various spatial impressions abstract and non-specific enough to leave room for imagination. This allows viewers and users to anticipate these natural spaces genuinely. The focus was on exploring the concept of "space" itself. Balancing the abstract representation while ensuring functional design required overcoming creative and technical obstacles, such as material limitations and production capabilities.
Research: The research for this project was qualitative, aiming to find a marble pattern that fits the "Forest Walk" theme. The objective was to identify a marbling that mimics the look through forest branches. Methodology included extensive visual analysis and material sampling. Data collection involved visiting multiple quarries in Carrara, with the primary tools being visual inspection and photography. Participants included the client and the artist. Results showed that the selected marble met aesthetic and functional criteria, satisfying both stakeholders. Insights revealed the importance of material authenticity in enhancing thematic design. This research impacted the final work by ensuring a seamless integration of natural aesthetics into functional design, influencing both business outcomes and design standards.
Inspiration: My vision was to depict the user's life, highlighting the everyday work process and making it conscious. I aimed to focus on the actual goal of working. Typically, electronic devices with their cables, along with pens and papers, ... demand visual attention and cause distractions. I aimed to create a space where one can dive into creativity without interruption, yet without compromising the functionality of a workspace. Everything should be readily available but discreet. Undisturbed working.
Project Duration: The search for the perfect marble for this project was the most time-consuming part. The goal was to find a marbling pattern that, fitting the theme, resembled a view through the branches of a forest canopy. The extensive search paid off, and both the client and the artist were very satisfied with the final result, "Forest Walk." The total duration, including planning and consultation, was one year.
Operation Flow: The table functions like a regular desk. While seated, the user can pull the tabletop towards themselves to reveal the storage space and the built-in sockets. This allows for easy charging of devices like laptops or iPhones. The tabletop can then be fully closed, with only the necessary amount of cable visible thanks to the integrated cable management system. Excess cables remain hidden inside the table.

Additionally, containers lined with fine aniline leather can be removed from the table. These include document trays, pen holders, and storage compartments for office supplies such as staplers, paper clips, and hole punches.
Patents: Felix Schwake
Team Members: Felix Schwake
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer / Creator (Designer) Felix Schwake, Forest Walk Desk, 2024.
Image #2: Photographer / Creator (Designer) Felix Schwake, Forest Walk Desk, 2024.
Image #3: Photographer / Creator (Designer) Felix Schwake, Forest Walk Desk, 2024.
Image #4: Photographer / Creator (Designer) Felix Schwake, Forest Walk Desk, 2024.
Image #5: Photographer / Creator (Designer) Felix Schwake, Forest Walk Desk, 2024.
Video Credits: Creator (Designer) Felix Schwake, Forest Walk Desk, 2024.

All rights are reserved by Felix Schwake.