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Planar Side Table by Fort Standard

Planar Side Table is a minimalist side table designed by Brooklyn-based studio Fort Standard. The project was conceived when Gregory Buntain of Fort Standard came upon a three-inch thick slab of travertine at a stone supplier’s shop, which reminded him of Mies Van Der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavilion, where the material was used in the floor as well as exterior walls and benches. Travertine, although not a rare material, is seldom seen without its porous surface filled with a similar colored epoxy to create a smoother surface.

The material became the focus of the project, with the objective to create a design that would allow the travertine to stand out. The thickness of the material informed the overall structure, while the final form would be comprised of three intersecting planes, creating both a functional and sculptural piece.

Each of the three pieces were important in creating balance for the usable surface area. The construction of the design involves, “two stone ‘tenons’ which pierce through the top. Rather than having one large tenon, I made two square tenons so that they could both be perfect squares the same width as the thickness of the material.”

Leo Lei translates his passion for minimalism into his daily-updated blog Leibal. In addition, you can find uniquely designed minimalist objects and furniture at the Leibal Store.