Zubi Table

Designed by Nikolas Piper, creator of functional sculptures, The Zubi table, although conceived and designed for a specific customer, is the result of an evolving style in design.  Based on his previous works, it carries through many of the artist’s recognizable traits. As in all of his creations, this table’s design surpasses trends and attempts to convey timelessness.

The Zubi table was commissioned by a customer for his newly refurbished early 20th-century flat located in the exclusive Barrio de Salamanca neighborhood in Madrid. The dining room where the table would be integrated was the most central and spectacular room in the house, visible from several different angles.  Hence arose the idea of creating a special piece aimed at joining two worlds: the functional one and the sculptural one.

To combine the customer’s specific needs and sensitivities with Nikolas Piper’s way of seeing things is an ever-present and almost mandatory challenge in the artist’s creative process. Thanks to the generosity and trust he always finds in his customers, Nikolas was given full freedom in the selection of the materials used and in the design of a unique piece.

A good example of the close relationship and good rapport established between Nikolas Piper and his customers is the name with which he christens his pieces, which is always inspired by the customer’s own name, habits or experiences.  In this case, the name came to honor a good mutual friend.

The starting point for the design of the ZUBI table was a theme that had already intrigued Nikolas Piper in the past and to which he had previously resorted: a game, a seemingly random combination and mix of different unbalanced segments. Never before had a combination of segments defied gravity to such an extent, managing, however, to achieve a perfect balance.

That first simple pencil sketch was further developed on computer-based 3D images, followed by two months in the workshop during which the piece was hand-crafted with utmost care. Aluminum was chosen as the material for the base of the table, since its specific low weight in comparison to steel allowed the artist to use solid 20mm-thick pieces without compromising the structural resistance of the home’s floor.

Furthermore, due to its greater flexibility, he was able to apply textures as if he were casting.  Finally, due to its chemical composition, this material admitted pigment-based patina finishes. The only condition for the design of the table was for the tabletop to be made of glass, in order to confer brightness to the space and avoid completely filling it up.

Therefore, the artist chose a 20mm-thick power-white tempered glass that, despite its volume, looks lightweight and solid at the same time. A complex creative process, full of challenges, that allowed the artist to pour out all his “savoir faire”.