Folding Tebulo Lam'mbali by Max Niemiec is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award in Mapangidwe a Fenicha Competition Category.
ChitsuloFenicha· 2026
Folding Tebulo Lam'mbali
by Max Niemiec
Client: Paul Maxwell
Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award Winner in Fenicha Category
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- Verified Award Winner
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The Design
About Folding Tebulo Lam'mbali
Folding ndi tebulo lam'mbali lomwe limagwiranso ntchito ngati chosema cha masamu ya majometri chopangidwa kuti chiwonedwe kuchokera mbali zonse. Tebuloli lapangidwa kuchokera ku thabwa limodzi lolimba lophatikizidwa, lodulidwa m'zidutswa zinayi ndikulumikizidwanso m'mbali mwa ngodya zopapatiza ndi zotambasuka, kotero kuti maonekedwe ake amawoneka ngati apindidwa. Mizere yayitali yosalazidwa mocheperachepera imakongoletsa m'mphepete mwake mokhotakhota. Kulumikiza ndi zitsulo zamatabwa (dowel), zida zothandizira ntchito yamatabwa ndi njira zapadera zomangirira zimagwiritsidwa ntchito posonkhanitsa. Thabwalo lapindidwa katatu, ndipo mbali iliyonse mwa zinayi imaonetsa maonekedwe osiyana. Muyeso uliwonse ndi wa 483 mm.
The Recognition
About the Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award
Folding Tebulo Lam'mbali ndi mmodzi mwa opambana a Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award, kuzindikirika kolemekezeka komwe kumaperekedwa kwa mapangidwe abwino omwe amakwaniritsa zofunika za akatswiri ndi za makampani zomwe zimayembekezeka kuchokera ku zolengedwa zopangidwa bwino. Opambana a Chitsulo amaonetsa luso lalikulu, ukatswiri wapamwamba, kumvetsetsa kwa akatswiri ndi mphamvu yolenga ya opanga awo. Folding Tebulo Lam'mbali akuyembekezeka kukhala cholengedwa choyamikiridwa kwambiri, chosirira ndi chokondedwa chomwe ndi chothandiza ndi chatsopano. Mapangidwe opambana Mphoto ya Chitsulo ya A' Design Award awa amaphatikiza machitidwe abwino kwambiri a makampani ndipo ali ndi makhalidwe a ukadaulo oyenerera olumikizidwa ndi chidziwitso ndi luso. Folding Tebulo Lam'mbali amalemekezedwa chifukwa cha kusamala kwake ndipo anapangidwa kuti apereke kukonza kwa moyo kumene kumathandiza kusandutsa dziko kukhala malo abwino.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- This side table design is a geometric sculpture meant to be enjoyed from all sides. It is made from one laminated slab, cut and joined back together on acute and obtuse angles, to give the impression that it has been folded into a table-like form.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 483 mm x Depth 483 mm x Height 483 mm
- Tags
- folding, table, geometric, sculptural, side table, origami, taper, facet
- Production Technology
- The first step in the process is to make a laminated hardwood slab. Then the slab is cut into four pieces. The use of woodworking jigs and fixtures is necessary to cut the unusual angles and tapered chamfers. Dowel-type joinery and special clamping methods are used for the final assembly
- Design Challenge
- In minimalist designs a recurring challenge is finding the sweet spot between simplicity and complexity. Based on the initial design concept it was clear that the base and top of the table needed to be parallel planes. Two folds would have been the minimum to accomplish this but would have also been too simple to be interesting. Four folds would have been too complex and less structurally sound. The conclusion that this design required the slab to be folded three times provided the constraints and scope for the remainder of the design work.
- Research
- For this design the portion of the effort that was mathematical was far grater than in most other design projects. Although at first sight the folding table may appear elegantly simple, transforming this concept into reality was a highly complex trigonometric challenge. Each adjustment to the aesthetics required a long series of recalculations
- Inspiration
- The objective in this design was to create something that is both simple and radically new. The design process began with experiments folding a rectangular strip of paper. After transitioning from working with the flat plane of the paper to the thick wooden slab, the incorporation of the long tapered chamfers became aesthetically necessary - one of the most delightful elements of the design.
- Project Duration
- February 2025 - September 2025
- Operation Flow
- The folding table is best suited for use as a side table in an open space that provides as many unobstructed views as possible. Since it appears different from each of it's four sides, the front of the table depends on the preference of the viewer.
- Patents
- Application No. 30/046,172
Filed: February 3, 2026 - Team Members
- Max Niemiec
- Image Credits
- Brian Shumway
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