Backhouse

To create his steel tables, designer Nathan Goldsworthy spent hours at an international plant 40 minutes drive north of his Wellington studio with a machine normally used for making building foundations. Known as the 3D Wire Bender, it shapes and welds steel from a vast coil. "Exploring the possibilities of an industrial material was exciting," Goldsworthy says. "I'm really working with that machine to design the table." Goldsworthy says. "I'm really working with that machine to design the table."

Goldsworthy based his tables on the simple but strong structure of a triangle. The upper surface is solid, while the folded, interwoven 'legs' double as magazine racks and create an optical illusion of movement and depth unusual for such a heavy-duty piece.