Tensegrity Cafe Table Concept

Tensegrity - or tensional integrity - structures seemingly defy physics upon first glance. As the name suggests, they are supported by tension. Some supports prevent the upper structure from falling straight downwards and the remaining supports prevent it from falling to the side. The result is a structure with surprising strength.

This was my final project for a Form class in which I chose to make a cafe table. Due to time constraints, this project never made it past a scale model for proof of concept. The design was a thorough exercise in rapid prototyping through trial and error. Despite the structure never making it to full scale, it was capable of supporting the intended full-sized tabletop and remains standing over a year later.