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Folding Yan Üstel by Max Niemiec

Folding Yan Üstel by Max Niemiec is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award تۆمۈر مۇكاپاتى in مېبەل لايىھەلەش Competition Category.


تۆمۈرمېبەل· 2026

Folding Yan Üstel

by Max Niemiec

Client: Paul Maxwell

A' Design Award تۆمۈر مۇكاپاتى Winner in مېبەل Category

5,047

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180622

Colors

The Design

About Folding Yan Üstel

Folding — barliq tereplerdin körüshke layihilen'gen géométrik heykel rolinimu oynaydighan yan üsteldur. Üstel birla qatlima qattiq yaghach taxtidin yasilip, töt parchige késilip, andin ötkür we tömpük bulungliar boyiche qaytidin ulinidu, shuning bilen shekil xuddi qatlangandek körünidu. Uzun uchluq qirlirini yumshaq qirqish arqiliq köp yüzlük gireweklerni inchikilep pishshiqlaydu. Yighish jeryanida qazuq ulash usuli, yaghachchiliq qélipliri we alahide qissish usulliri qollinilidu. Taxta üch qétim qatlinidu, töt terepning herbiri oxshimighan körünüsh teqdim qilidu. Herbir ölchem 483 mm.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award تۆمۈر مۇكاپاتى

Folding Yan Üstel A' Design Award تۆمۈر مۇكاپاتىنىڭ غالىبى، بۇ ياخشى لايىھىلەنگەن ئىجادىيەتلەردىن ساقلىنىدىغان كەسپىي ۋە سانائەت تەلەپلىرىنى قاندۇرىدىغان ياخشى لايىھىلەرگە بېرىلىدىغان ئابرويلۇق ئېتىراپتۇر. تۆمۈر غالىبلىرى ياراتقۇچىلىرىنىڭ زور ماھارىتى، يۇقىرى ئالاھىدە كەسپىلىكى، مۇتەخەسسىسلەرچە چۈشەنچىسى ۋە ئىجادىي قابىلىيىتىنى نامايان قىلىدۇ. Folding Yan Üstel ناھايىتى قەدىرلىنىدىغان، ھەيرانلىق بىلەن كۆرۈلىدىغان ۋە سۆيۈلىدىغان، ئەمەلىي ھەم يېڭىلىقچان ئىجادىيەت بولۇشى ئۈمىد قىلىنىدۇ. A' Design Award تۆمۈر مۇكاپاتىنى يەڭگەن بۇ لايىھە كەسىپنىڭ ئەڭ ياخشى ئەمەلىيەتلىرىنى بىرلەشتۈرىدۇ ھەمدە بىلىم ۋە ئىستېدات بىلەن باغلانغان لاياقەتلىك تېخنىكىلىق ئالاھىدىلىكلەرگە ئىگە. Folding Yan Üstel ئەستايىدىللىقى بىلەن ھۆرمەتكە سازاۋەر بولۇپ، دۇنيانى تېخىمۇ ياخشى ئورۇنغا ئايلاندۇرۇشقا ياردەم بېرىدىغان تۇرمۇش سۈپىتىنى ياخشىلاشنى تەمىنلەش ئۈچۈن لايىھىلەنگەن.

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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