Iron Fine Arts and Art Installation Design · 2022
Steel U Bar Table
- A' Design Award 2022 Iron Winner in Fine Arts and Art Installation Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: Industrial Office
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 20,187
- Verification code AE24E16DF4 · Verify this award
About Steel U Bar Table
Steel U, a design that was based on the past, created in the present and is made with the intension to inspire the future. This resulted in a combination of an reused steel tabletop that is supported by concrete legs which were destroyed by physical emotions. This way the design becomes literally a part of the person who the destroys concrete. The combination gave physical and mental challenges during the process, but eventually resulted in a design that gave fulfillment.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Steel U, is a combination of reusing emotion and scrap metal. The tabletop is made from 70mm solid reused steel which is supported by two concrete blocks. These are connected by reinforcement steel which is made into shape by forging. The shape of the block is made by the person who owns the table. The way this is done; is by pouring first a smooth concrete block in a mold, which then will destroyed by the owner with a sledgehammer and jack hammer.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 3220mm x Depth 650mm x Height 1120mm. Weight 988kg. Tabletop is S355 steel displayed under 10mm hardened glass. Legs are regular concrete with an inner steel shell to create an air chamber for reducing weight. Connection rods are reinforcement steel.
- Tags
- Steel U, Thoughts, Emotion, Steel, Concrete, Forged, Industrial Office
- Production Technology
- The tabletop is made from 70mm S355 steel which was used for producing machine parts. The shapes are made by the oxygen cutting process and when no more parts could come from the plate, it became scrap metal. This was outside, which gave after 2 years in the rain and sun the current look. The reinforcement steel rods where then first forged in an arch and then welded to the tabletop. After making a steel mold, the reinforcement steel was place in the mold and then covered in regular concrete.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part was to make the concrete legs, which had to look like demolition but had to show the emotion of the owner. So I called help from my best friend, who is my father, because he had built his own house. I explained the look and strength that I wanted to have and he knew right away what was needed and how to execute. This way he thought and showed me what I needed to know so I could make the second leg myself with him as my mentor by my side checking.
- Project Duration
- The idea started on July 2020 in Ede, The Netherlands at my home. But because the tabletop did not yet have the right appearance I needed to wait. When it did have the appearance, it was January 2022. The legs were then made and finished on 13 February 2022 in Ede, The Netherlands at my workshop.
- Operation Flow
- The tabletop is made from scrap metal, so this way it cannot be replicated because steel and the way it is handled during production is never the same. Then the reinforcement steel to support it is there to make it look as if the concrete legs came out of a demolition. The concrete shape is not just for the demolition look, but also to make the table show the emotion of the owner. The owner will have thoughts when destroying the legs and those thought at that moment will be visible to them.
- Research
- The first research I did, was to check if I could find on the internet a furniture design that ,was or looked like it, came from a demolition. After not finding it, I started with the question on how to make the process an experience. My mind went from concrete, to create, to sculpting, to sculpture, to how to sculpt, to thoughts, to experiencing and then to emotion. This resulted in the method of the owner using emotions physically to destroying the legs first to then create.
- Inspiration
- At the company which I have with my father to build conveyors, I wanted to create an office that was not about functionality, but about productivity. Inspired by my love for industrial designs I noticed the tabletop between the scrap metal, and wanted to use it because that is what you see when standing behind it. The legs got inspiration from demolition. But I wanted to put literally my emotions in to the concrete base, so I came up with the concept of pouring it first and then destroying it.
Colors of Steel U Bar Table
Design Interview about Steel U Bar Table
I wanted a design that was based on the passed, created in the present but with the intension to inspire the future. When I was thinking about this kind on an design, one of things that came up to me, was the word emotion. And to be able to create in real life, you need to become physically involved. By combining these two words, I came up with the idea to create the demolition legs by using the clients physical emotion. This way the design truly becomes a part of the client.
I wanted the concrete legs to look as if there were taken out from a demolition, but at the same time, when the client looks at the design, it reminds the client of the emotion that was used to create it.
People have ask me if I would sell it. But that is an easy answer, no. Not just because the design marks the start of an lifechanging journey, but also because I am now able to show the concept in real life to my clients.
The total duration from start to finish took almost two years. The time from idea to starting production was around two months.
After I had seen the gala video of A’ Design Award, I still had this particular idea in my mind for my office and something inside me just told me to make Steel-U and participate in the competition. It wasn’t a design made specifically for just one client, but a concept to show eventually to the world.
Steel-U is a design and concept that I am only producing myself. The reason for this is not just the personal connection that it generates with the client, but also that if someone would see this style, that they automatically know it is made by Joey van Beek.
I wanted to create a design that would work around the demolition expression to the eye, but also to the mental expression of the client.
Maybe a bit of a short answer, but no. I did check if I could find something similar on the internet, but I did not. Maybe the fact that I could not find any design that did look like it, it did help to continue the realization of the idea.
The target customer is everyone who want something bold and truly unique. This because they finish the design themselves.
The fact that it cannot be replicated makes it truly unique. Even if you would find two tabletops who look similar, they are different. Also the client cannot put the same emotion in the demolition. This because the experience from the first leg will also be used in the next one. It truly is one-off.
Steel-U refers to three things. One is that Steel stands for the main material. Secondly is U that stands for You as a person who makes it. And thirdly, is that Steel-U almost is pronounced as Still You. And that is what it partly is, still a part of you.
For getting an impression of how the design would look like, I just used pencil and paper. Then for production I use AutoCad.
The uniqueness of the concept is not just the design itself as far as the looks, but mainly the fact that it cannot be replicated.
Regarding the idea around the design and concept there was no collaboration. But for making the concrete legs I got the help from my best friend, who is my father, because he had built his own house. During making the first leg he thought and showed me what I needed to know so I could make the second leg myself with him as my mentor by my side checking. This made the process of realizing Steel-U even more amazing.
For me with this design it is perfectly to combine old and new technology, and not excluding one or another. For example, the legs were drawn with 3D simulation software to come up with specific dimensions but for the realization there was usage of a big hand grinder and forging. So using the right technology was key for this specific end result.
The research that I did was if I could find some similar design on the internet. This way I knew if my design could be made and be truly unique. Which material I needed to use was purely based on the experience that I have gained within the company that my father and I have.
Because the tabletop is made from scrap metal, it mend that I not only needed to work with a fixed dimension, but mostly with the fact that the steel plate was all the way around cut with the oxygen-cutting process. Because of this, the top layer is slightly hardened and drilling holes in the sides to mount the legs was not possible. I then decided to make new flat bars with holes and threat in them and weld them to the main steel plate. This way I was now able to assemble Steel-U.
Because the world of art and design is new to me, I was looking on the internet if I could find information on how the world of design worked. I came across A’ Design Award and noticed there gala-video and tough to myself; wouldn’t it be great to one day also be there? Something inside me told me that I should give it a try and submit. I know now even more than ever that I am very glad I did not ignore it.
I learned that if you have a vision, despite what others may say or think, you should just go for it. And I do know also that there is still a lot to learn within the world of art and design.
Actually, no. For me it was a nice interview to do, and I hope that others will enjoy reading it.
Grand Interview about Steel U Bar Table
By start thinking with the end in mind during the process, the direction was clear. By making the journey towards the end goal personal, every step was enjoyed. The concept of creating by destruction could be felt in the process, which made it a joy to execute.
I personally experience a growing lack of personality in the things around me. This can be from how people perform but also that the content is no longer relevant, as long as it shiny and gives people the impression that it is impressive at first glance it is okay. I don’t like that at all. I want meaning full connections with people and my designs.
The materials I selected will not lose structural strength during their process of gaining natural colors. Also the dimensions a so large that they can withstand the test of time.
Because of the big weight you must make a steel foundation within the concrete otherwise it will break out eventually. I therefore have hidden in the concrete a steel skeleton that provides the strength, and the concrete is there to create the emotional experience. To created the skeleton I combines old forging with 3D-engineering and plasma cutting.
Steel and concrete have a high density what creates high weight design by default. When this is not possible you need to turn towards other materials like aluminum or hollow designs.
Doing something with someone you care about makes the development of a design more fun to do. Also, you respect each other and therefore can go deeper into questions and explanations.
When you take time to make a design you will get a better end result because all pros and cons can be checked, and no decision has to be rushed. Sometimes you just have to wait to pick the fruit at the right moment, and when you do, it tastes exactly as you hoped.
I hope that we will keep on challenging the way we design. And that it is not just about what, but also about why and how. Sometimes we should stop talking about if it would work and instead, just start doing it and let the end result speak.
That when emotion is combined with knowledge, a material such as steel can be described as warm and welcoming. And the insight I have had, was that for me it is also about the journey and not just about the end result.
I have several design ideas that are fully based on personal stories but also about making people stop, think and reflect. The industrial materials I will always like because they can give beautiful colors without using paint. But I will always choice the right material for representing the emotion.