Brief:

We were approached to design and manufacture the top of the board room table intended for the new Solomon Islands High Commission in Deakin, ACT. The legs were intended to be manufactured from stainless steel to match the chosen executive chairs for the table.

The board room table design needed to incorporate the inner piece, which had been handcrafted in the Solomon Islands and transported to the High Commission in Australia.

Result:

After looking at the specifications for the board room table, we decided to put forward our design for the table, including the legs and underside as we felt that such an important table would work better with solid timber framing and legs, to go with the timber top. The design was drawn up using 3D photo realistic software and presented to the client. In the end, our full design was accepted including the solid timber underside.

The table top was designed to incorporate the hand crafted centrepiece from the Solomon Islands, allowing for timber movement as well as allowing for cables for laptops and other electrical equipment to be used easily on the table by designing a gap between the centrepiece and the table itself.

The legs of the board room table are strong and functional, allowing room for up to 24 people to be seated at the table, whilst also being appropriate for the end users. The “upside down boat” leg design fits in harmoniously with the culture of the Solomon Islands High Commission, whilst also being practical and elegant.

The board room table was very well received by both the specifying architects, the Solomon Islands High Commissioner and the staff.

“The table is truly a work of art that we, the architects, the client, and all who visit this wonderful High Commission regard as a notable piece of work.”

Colin Irwin – I Architecture (formerly BHI Architects) February 10, 2012.

Materials:

• Turpentine
• Turpentine veneer on plantation hoop pine plywood

Design and Manufacture: Select Custom Joinery.

Photography: John Tucker Photography.