Ava Table

Overview

Ava Table is a rectangular timber table by Foster + Partners, with a 2019 datasheet. It evolves from the studio's earlier work on modular metal furniture for the UniFor Elements series and reinterprets those principles in wood. The datasheet draws three lengths, 290, 340 and 380 cm.

Image source: Molteni&C — Ava Table · © Molteni&C and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research. · View official product page ↗ · Image use & copyright policy

Construction

The table is made entirely of timber. A central tabletop and cantilevered ends combine to form tables of different lengths, and a shadow gap marks the joint between the sections. It has a top of veneered chipboard with a solid oak perimeter, an undertop of veneered birch plywood on a solid fir internal structure, and legs of veneered HDF composite on a birch plywood structure. The veneer is eucalyptus or walnut.

Specifications

• ATF29/11: 290, 110 and 74 cm (axes not labelled on the drawing)
• Wooden finishes: eucalyptus, walnut, coffee oak, black oak, sunrise oak

From metal modules to timber

Molteni&C's page traces Ava to the studio's earlier work on modular metal furniture for the UniFor Elements series, which Ava reinterprets in timber. The datasheet frames the table as a response to Foster + Partners' policy of designing eco-friendly buildings and furnishings: a set of tables made entirely of wood for contemporary settings.

A bridge-like structure

It has a bridge-inspired form influenced by the lightness of aircraft wings and engineered structures, with sculpted legs that taper towards the floor. The geometry lets the end sections cantilever up to one metre on either side while the table stays stable and rigid.