Designed out of a solid block of aluminum (weighing in at 900 lbs), the Colander table is an experimental project by designer Daniel Rohr. The idea behind the design is to create an invisible space within a space. Due to the bowl-form, the glass-top and the 909 holes drilled out of the polished aluminum block, objects placed upon the tabletop seem to float weightlessly in air. Taking over 4 weeks to produce a single unit, the table will be sold in an edition of only ten.

Check out Daniel Rohr and the Colander Table at Designersblock in London this weekend. After the jump, a video on what it takes to produce one of this brilliantly designed pieces of art.

11 Responses to “David Rohr Colander Table”

• mark says:

  September 23, 2009 at 12:19 pm

  Pretty damn cool. You get five points.
• seth says:

  September 23, 2009 at 1:33 pm

  I don’t see anything weightless about it. Cool looking table, but nowhere near what it claims to be… I don’t see any ‘invisible space within a space’… It’s a table with a bunch of holes in it.
• Pablo Stanley says:

  September 23, 2009 at 3:07 pm

  Amazing design. I wanted to see a demonstration on how objects look over the table, the “space within the space” effect, but there’s nothing showing it.
• Lance says:

  September 23, 2009 at 8:04 pm

  They really don’t showcase the top of the table. That’s the whole point…duh. Semi-cool.
• Scott says:

  September 23, 2009 at 8:17 pm

  Totally agree with you Pablo… the essence of the concept is about this ’space within the space’, yet they aren’t really giving out any images that show this effect. I’m guessing you have to see it in person to fully take it in.
  A reason to check out Designersblock in London this weekend perhaps?!
• JRameau says:

  September 23, 2009 at 10:00 pm

  very cool, it reminds me of Mr. Impossible instead of plastic is made in metal as a table, sweet.
• Sean says:

  September 25, 2009 at 11:49 am

  ABSOLUTELY WASTEFUL! Why should a table use 900lbs of aluminum? I am a designer and fabricator, and find this absurd. Don’t get me wrong, the table has a seductive style to it, but not only did the designer miss his mark on invisible space- he’s out of his mind. WE HAVE TO START CONSERVING OUR PRECIOUS RESOURCES, and not waste it on a damn table! I’d like to to tell the designer to “try again” but, I don’t want him wasting any thing else- I’ll just tell him to quit, and give up.
• Carlos says:

  September 25, 2009 at 2:24 pm

  I definately agree 100% with Sean. Four weeks to produce a single unit?!?!?! What is wrong with this guy!!! I can’t begin to fathom the logistics involved in the process and the amount of resources that were used… This ‘brilliantly designed piece of art’ is nothing but what designers should avoid altogether. Why can’t we design and create beautiful and stylish pieces using recycled materials and less resources? We need to change our mentality to still be able to coexist with nature, which is our greatest design teacher. I mean, after all, nature’s waste is reusable and beautiful.
• Wouter says:

  September 28, 2009 at 1:06 pm

  I agree with previous comments on the top view of the table and the missing weightless aspect however I like the design. pricetag $$$$ ?!

  Sean and Carlos, I see the table more like a sculpture than a usefull design object.
  In that perspectif, I don’t mind that it took them 4 weeks to build.
  Aluminium is indeed very energy consuming to produce however it is pretty good recyclable.
  As I remember correctly, arn’t the unibody macbooks made the same way?
• Sean says:

  October 1, 2009 at 3:33 pm

  Wouter- Let’s assume the table weighs 150 pounds after fabrication, 83% of the material after fabrication is mixed with lubricants and grime, and is sitting on the shop’s floor. IF (and a big if) that material was then recycled, it is a costly and wasteful process to make it usable again. Yes, aluminum can be recycled, however striving to only use 17% of anything, is an incredibly inefficient way to make a product.
• Mauricio Del Pozo says:

  October 12, 2009 at 9:23 am

  Sean,I see this table from a different perspective. This table won’t be mass produced. For me is more like an art piece, and also show the process on how these machines work or can do. This is a unique piece and I am sure that can be displayed in a museum as an impressive piece of art.
  I get your point if this was IKEA furniture that would be mass produce and sell by the 1000’s