The Watson Table

Named after James Watson, the American scientist famous for discovering the helical structure of DNA, the Watson table by American designer Paul Loebach is going to be premiered at Milan Design Week 2011.

Inspired by 17th century English furniture with its distinguishing open wood turnings, also known as ‘barley twists’. “I was interested in translating these twisting shapes into bold structural elements, for the purpose of experimenting with new combinations of materials and construction processes,” explains Loebach. “I felt like a scientist developing this table, working through numerous controlled material experiments to achieve the desired result.” The final result is a wood-composite structure laminated over a simple 6-part plywood mould.

To make sure he used the materials as efficiently as possible, Loebach abandoned a machining-based approach in favour of an ‘additive’ lamination process. “I began to experiment with composite materials to give structural support to this naturally springy form,” says Loebach. “The result is a combination of wood and carbon fibre, with a painted wood top.” According to Loebach, this composite sandwich utilises the inherent rigidity of carbon as a structural core, creating what he terms as a “symbiotic composition” that provides a maximum of strength using a minimum of material.

Raised in Cincinnati, Ohio and descended from a long line of German woodworkers, Loebach’s father is a manufacturing engineer who developed new plastic forming technologies for Union Carbide in the 1970s and now Loebach sees his projects as an idealistic fusion of his family’s distant and more recent history.

Related Links:
Paul Loebach – company website

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