Volta 咖啡桌 by Chih-Chieh Huang - NTHU is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award 銅獎 in 傢俱設計 Competition Category.

銅傢俱· 2021

Volta 咖啡桌

by Chih-Chieh Huang - NTHU

Client: Scottie Chih-Chieh Huang, National Tsing Hua University

A' Design Award 銅獎 Winner in 傢俱 Category

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Volta 咖啡桌

Volta係一張靈感嚟自大教堂天花肋拱嘅咖啡桌。桌架由交叉同斜向嘅拱形肋條組成，勾勒出呢件作品嘅結構線條。彎曲嘅不鏽鋼板以45度角錯位排列，支撐住桌面，而桌腳則令人聯想到拱形嘅結構柱。桌面採用半反射玻璃製成，令底下嘅結構依然清晰可見。內置光源經玻璃反射同折射，將光影投射到周圍嘅空間入面。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 銅獎

Volta 咖啡桌是 A' Design Award 銅獎得主，這是授予以創造力、獨創性和敏銳見長的傑出設計的極具聲望的認可。銅獎得主是技藝嫻熟、創意驚人的作品，印證了其設計師豐富的經驗、想像力與機智。預計Volta 咖啡桌將成為一件備受推崇、令人欽佩且被珍愛的物品，兼具顯著的專業性與創新性。這件贏得 A' Design Award 銅獎的設計融入藝術、科學、設計和技術領域的最佳實踐，並因注重細節而出類拔萃。Volta 咖啡桌出色地滿足需求，觸動渴望，迷住情感，並吸引好奇心。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: The designer uses a frame form composed of cross or diagonal arched ribs as a basis rule to explore the structural lines and shapes of the object. The design of the table legs refers to the structure’s arched structure column. The special arc-shaped steel plates are staggered at a 45-degree angle to form the support structure of the tabletop.
Dimensions & Packaging: Material/ Stainless Steel, Half-reflecting glass, light
Dimension/ 480mmW x 480mmD x 430mmH
Tags: coffee table, light installation, arched structure, structural design, illumination, interior
Production Technology: In the design making processes and manufacturing tasks, the first version uses metal sculpture approach to manually bend and weld steel bars to make the main structure. The second version is an improved version of the first version. Designer used CAD and CNC to cut steel plates to accurately fabricate the structure. In the structural design, special consideration is given to lightweight and visual performance, and the assembly details are also considered to ensure manufacturing feasibility
Design Challenge: This work interprets the visual appeal and beauty of the arched structure from a human perspective when look up at the space of the cathedral. Through the refraction and reflection between its inside light source and the half-reflective glass used on the desktop, the object can project the beauty of the arched building into the indoor environment in the form of light and shadow.
Research: Designer used CAD and CNC to cut steel plates to accurately fabricate the structure. In the structural design, special consideration is given to lightweight and visual performance, and the assembly details are also considered to ensure manufacturing feasibility.
Inspiration: Volta is an alternative coffee table design, inspired by the rib vault of the cathedral. This work hopes to interpret the visual appeal and beauty of the arched structure from a human perspective when look up at the space of the cathedral.
Project Duration: The project started in June 2012 in Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Colorado, USA. And finished in April 2015 in Hsinchu, Taiwan. It was exhibited in Salone del Mobile in April 2015 (IT), Taipei Fine Arts Museum 2015 (TW), and FORMOSA Sculpture Biennial 2017 (TW).
Operation Flow: The object uses a half-reflective glass as its table-top surface. In daily mode, it presents a special transparent color, allowing users to appreciate the both functional and beautiful structural lines under the table. In the night lighting mode, through the refraction and reflection between its inside light source and the half-reflective glass used on the desktop, the object can project the beauty of the arched building into the indoor environment in the form of light and shadow.
Patents: Copyrights by Scottie Chih-Chieh Huang
Team Members: project investigator, director/ Scottie Chih-Chieh Huang
design assistant/ Andy Liao
Image Credits: Main Image/ Photo by Wen-Shan Lin
Optional Image#1/ Photo by Wen-Shan Lin
Optional Image#2/ Photo by Scottie Chih-Chieh Huang
Optional Image#3/ Photo by Scottie Chih-Chieh Huang
Optional Image#4/ Photo by Scottie Chih-Chieh Huang