We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Mattice Boets about their original and creative Table design work. Mattice Boets is an award-winning industrial designer, that makes our world a better place with their original table works.
Mattice Boets ("MB") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Liquid Table. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
MB : My inspiration came from nature and how everything grows and always forms one coherent entity and is not visibly divided into different parts but is connected through smooth and logical transitions. I tried to design the Liquid table in a similar approach to create a table that forms one coherent entity and is not, like in most cases, divided into the surface of the table and the legs. I achieved this by connecting the four legs of the table to the corners of the table through a smooth and organic transition that is extremely strong due to its shape and provides an appealing aesthetic.
MB : In all of my work, I aim to design something in a different way through an instinctive and organic approach to design. In this specific design, I wanted the table to look like one coherent entity, instead of multiple divided pieces, to create a table that has a unique aesthetic, modern look, and timeless design.
MB : I would like to realize the design with the help of an interested company or design studio. If I have the time and tools, I would like to make a real-world prototype for myself and possible investors. I would love to use it as my main office table on which I create all my designs.
MB : This was the project I completed in the shortest amount of time yet. It took about two weeks from start to finish. I came to an idea of how the table would look quite quickly, it is one of the few times that my first idea became the finished product without any changes to its design. It was a rare occurrence.
MB : This project was part of my studies in Industrial Product Design at Howest University in Kortrijk, Belgium. The assignment was to design a light and strong table. You could interpret it any way you wanted to. In my case, I designed a table that was physically strong, partly because of the material but also because of its uniform shape and smooth transitions from the surface of the table to the legs. The design of Liquid also creates a light visual appearance due to its thin profile and reflective light grey finish. Additionally, because the table is made out of Epoxy fortified with E-fiber Glass, it only weighs 14 kilos. As a result, the table is physically strong while also being visually and physically lightweight. These properties make the table easily transportable and durable.
MB : The design is currently not being produced by any company. I would love to bring this concept to life by working together with an interest third party. I would prefer to lease the production rights instead of selling it. I’m planning on creating a prototype for myself and possible investors in the future, but I do not have any plans to produce it myself.
MB : The design of Liquid is a result of combining my own design style with inspiration from nature. During the time this project started, I was very much inspired by how everything in nature grows in a logical way and how every creation has its own personality. I designed Liquid through a similar approach to how I viewed nature.
MB : In this particular project, the design wasn’t influenced by any other people. The creation of the design was completed quite quickly through visualizing and imagining it in my own mind without any input from external sources. I always to prefer to start a project in a similar way, usually, the concepts still evolve but this time it needed no further iterations.
MB : The table is designed for a modern home, office or meeting room. But I would like to see the table in all kinds of places. It would be ideal to display other things on because of its unique and eye-catching design.
MB : Because of its thin profile, modern look, and elegant design, this table creates an eye-catching look and is ideal for any modern home, office or meeting room. Furthermore, because of its durability and lightweight, you can easily move the table from one place to another.
MB : The name Liquid was inspired by the design’s fluid, dynamic and organic shape. The legs of the table seem to flow to the surface of the table in a very similar way to how most liquids flow.
MB : Basic tools were used to sketch the idea on paper and software such as NX was used to model it. A scale prototype was made by 3D printing and finished with a coating of epoxy for additional strength and durability. The renders were created in 3ds Max and Vray. Additionally, NX was used to calculate different forces on the table and to help define the required material properties.
MB : I believe its rather simple and uniform shape makes for a very unique table design. I believe this is especially interesting because tables have been designed and used for thousands of years, yet I have never seen a similar and so pure approach to it.
MB : I designed this project individually without the assistance of any other people. Before realizing the concept, I would like to discuss the design with some people who are experienced with calculating and defining the precise material so that the table will keep its strength and durability over a long period of time.
MB : To define the material properties advanced simulations were performed to calculate the exact forces on the table and the requirements to withstand this for long periods of time and to achieve a great lifespan. Currently, the design is made out of Epoxy fortified with E-fiber Glass. But, perhaps there are better ways to create the same design through advancements in technology to create a table of this length in one piece or multiple pieces that look like one.
MB : Advanced simulations were performed with the use of software to define the exact required properties of the used material. The design of the table required this additional research because of its uniform and one-motion design.
MB : Defining and predicting what material would be strong and durable enough was difficult because I did not have any experience in this area. I had to perform additional research in this field to be able to make appropriate choices.
MB : I received an invitational email from the A’ Design Award & Competition. I try to submit my work each year to a design competition, pitch it to companies, or send it to multiple press outlets. I received the invitation at just the right time when I was looking for such an opportunity. The values and goals of the A’ Design Award & Competition were very much aligned with my own goals and I decided to take part in the competition.
MB : I learned many new skills in the design process of Liquid. I advanced my rendering skills by self-teaching how to create advanced photorealistic renders. I also became more knowledgeable about how materials behave and learned how to perform simulations on CAD models. The initial design process of Liquid was only two weeks. At that time, I had not yet created the photographs of Liquid because I lacked the skills to do so. My goal was to learn how to create a beautiful environment to present my table design in. The renders took an additional two weeks and probably required more time than creating the design itself. But I believe it was well worth all that trouble.
MB : I would like to be able to realize this design by meeting people who are interested in the design.
