Orientating the Circle – Modular Tables by Canadian Designer Ben Barber

I tend to talk about concepts or themes as a starting point for experimentation. I actually think this is one of the best tips you can give a young designer. It’s easy to feel stressed and anxious at the fact that there are so many possible points of inspiration that could be drawn from, but having so many options leads to great difficulty. A much better way is to set your own brief and follow through on designing something that has set elements that have to be used to construct an object from.

For partly this reason I was interested in the work of Canadian designer Ben Barber who is currently situated in Vancouver. His main theme is exploring the character of shapes, looking to challenge conventional and established design archetypes and approach them with a new mindset. Ben seems to have focused quite heavily on the circle, using this to produce both the Sanora, Ellipse, and Pluto Table.

The latter two tables have glass tops and feature circular and angular feet, but the most interesting table to me was the Sanora that has two circular levels contrasting with two rectangular forms as the feet. It’s a unique design that shows how two simple shapes can create quite complex functional furniture. I hope you like these and will view more on Ben Barber’s portfolio below. Enjoy.

benbarberstudio.com

BECOME A PART OF OUR DESIGN JOURNEY

Special discounts on OEN Shops curated collection

• Exclusive behind-the-scenes content
• Early access to content from our OEN publication
• Deep dive into design concepts
• Curated guides to the worlds top art and design cities