Folding Tafole e Nyenyane ya Lehlakoreng by Max Niemiec

Folding Tafole e Nyenyane ya Lehlakoreng by Max Niemiec is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award in Moralo wa Fenitjhara Competition Category.

TšepeFenitjhara· 2026

Folding Tafole e Nyenyane ya Lehlakoreng

by Max Niemiec

Client: Paul Maxwell

Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award Winner in Fenitjhara Category

5,047
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180622

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Folding Tafole e Nyenyane ya Lehlakoreng

Folding ke tafole e nyenyane ya lehlakoreng eo hape e sebetsang jwaloka setshwantsho sa jiometri se etseditsweng ho shejwa ka mahlakore ohle. Tafole ena e entswe ka letlapa le le leng la patsi e thata e kopantsweng ka dilaminate, le sehilweng dikoto tse nne mme la kopanngwa hape ka dikhutlo tse potlana le tse pharaletseng, e le hore sebopeho se bonahale eka se mennwe. Dichamfere tse telele tse ntjhafalang di ntlafatsa mathoko a nang le difasete. Ho kopanngwa ha yona ho sebediswa mokgwa wa ho kopanya ka didowele, dithulusi tsa mosebetsi wa patsi le mekgwa e ikgethang ya ho tiisa. Letlapa le mennwe hararo, mme le leng le le leng la mahlakore a mane le hlahisa pono e fapaneng. Tekanyo ka nngwe ke dimilimetara tse 483.

The Recognition

About the Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award

Folding Tafole e Nyenyane ya Lehlakoreng ke mohapi oa Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award, kananelo e hlomphehang e fuoang meralo e metle e finyellang litlhoko tsa porofeshenale le tsa indasteri tse lebelletsoeng ho lintho tse hlahisitsoeng tse entsoeng hantle. Bahapi ba Tšepe ba bontša bokhoni bo boholo, bokhethehi bo phahameng, kutloisiso ea litsebi le bokhoni ba boqapi ba baqapi ba bona. Folding Tafole e Nyenyane ya Lehlakoreng e lebelletsoe ho ba ntho e hlahisitsoeng e hlomphuoang haholo, e ratoang le e ratehang, e sebetsang le e nang le mehopolo e mecha. Moralo ona o hapileng Moputso oa Tšepe oa A' Design Award o kenyelletsa mekhoa e metle ka ho fetesisa ea indasteri mme o na le litšobotsi tsa theknoloji tse nang le bokhoni tse amanang le tsebo le talenta. Ka lebaka la botlalo ba eona, Folding Tafole e Nyenyane ya Lehlakoreng e tšoanelehela tlhompho mme e entsoe ho fana ka ntlafatso ea bophelo e thusang ho etsa hore lefatše le be sebaka se molemo.

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