Tensegrity
Coffee Table.
A Hamptons style coffee table built on the principle of tensegrity. Handcrafted from 20 year old American oak, the upper half appears to float, suspended entirely by precision tensioned stainless steel wire through a self engineered tensioning system.
The Brief
A one off feature piece for a newly built coastal home, designed to appeal to aesthetics first and function second.
The Concept
The table serves two audiences. First the client receiving it for their Hamptons home, and second other homeowners who aspire to the style. Tensegrity structures hold a slight, deliberate movement, so the piece is made to carry small items like books and beverages while acting as a sculptural statement.
The Question
More than anything, the table is designed to spark conversation. The thin wire and floating top exist to prompt a single reaction from anyone who walks past it: "how does that float?"
Concept & CAD
Research into Hamptons style and existing tensegrity tables was refined across seven CAD iterations before a final form was locked in.
A Minimalist Direction
At the client's request the design took a minimalist path. Thin stainless wire rope was chosen over marine rope, and a low detail glass top over a wooden one. The glass gives a clean view straight down into the internal tensegrity structure and the grain matched arc beneath it.
Removing the Cross
An early base cross beam was cut from the design. It overcomplicated the form and added weight and timber cost, so removing it kept the piece cleaner and let the tensegrity read more clearly.
Engineering the Float
The self engineered tensioning system is the heart of the piece, hidden entirely inside the timber to keep the form uninterrupted.
The Mechanism
Turnbuckle & Brass Anchor
Each wire runs to a concealed brass puck anchor threaded for an M4 bolt, tensioned by a turnbuckle hidden in the frame. This lets every wire be tuned to eliminate wobble, then easily re tensioned or replaced later without touching the timber.
Engineering process photos
The Build
Sixty hours across two terms, from raw oak through joinery, arc supports and final glue up.
Build process photos
The Outcome
An American oak, Hamptons style tensegrity table, finished professionally and delivered to the client.
The tensegrity structure reads clearly straight down through the glass.
Grain matched seamlessly across the arc join.