Silver Furniture Design · 2026
Willow Table
- A' Design Award 2026 Silver Winner in Furniture Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: Cantori
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 17,700
- Verification code 2C67A852C1 · Verify this award
About Willow Table
Willow is an extendable dining table inspired by contemporary architecture. A minimalist metal frame supports the wooden top and holds it slightly apart, creating a suspended effect. The legs are the distinctive feature, fitted with curved sheet metal covers that can be finished in leather or wood and replaced over time. The same wood finish chosen for the top can be applied to the covers, giving material continuity and visual harmony. A fluid extension mechanism is fully integrated, expanding the table from 280 to 380 centimetres without altering the closed configuration.
Roccadadria Luca's Willow Table emerges from a rich lineage of furniture design that celebrates the productive tension between organic materials and industrial processes, a theme central to twentieth-century modernist thought and continuing relevance in contemporary practice. The work demonstrates sophisticated understanding of material dialogue, pairing the warmth and visual complexity of stained hardwood with the precision and structural efficiency of metal fabrication in a composition that honors both traditions without privileging either. The tabletop's generous proportions and pronounced horizontal emphasis establish the piece as a gathering surface, a place for shared meals and conversation, while the visible grain patterns introduce natural variation that prevents the dark surface from reading as monolithic or severe. Particularly noteworthy is the structural system connecting legs to apron to top, a solution that reveals rather than conceals the mechanical relationships between components, inviting appreciation for the engineering intelligence supporting apparent simplicity. The cylindrical leg form references traditional woodturning while the continuous metal apron suggests contemporary manufacturing, this temporal dialogue creating visual interest through material juxtaposition. The chromatic restraint, working entirely within dark neutrals, demonstrates confidence in form and proportion to carry visual interest without relying on color contrast, a strategy aligned with Nordic design principles emphasizing essential forms over decorative elaboration. Surface treatment across all components shows careful attention to finish quality, with the wood maintaining its organic character while presenting refined tactile smoothness appropriate to domestic use. The work invites consideration of how contemporary furniture design continues to negotiate between handcraft traditions and industrial production, and how such negotiations might reflect broader cultural conversations about authenticity, sustainability, and the objects with which we choose to live.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The project achieves structural equilibrium between lightness and solidity. An essential metal frame supports the wooden top, distancing it to create a suspended effect. The technical distinction lies within the legs, featuring curved sheet metal covers customizable in leather or wood. Applying the exact wood finish from the surface to these leg covers ensures material continuity and visual harmony. A fluid extension mechanism integrates seamlessly, expanding capacity without disrupting the original closed configuration.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- L. closed 280cm open 380cm - P. 100cm - h. 75cm -
- Tags
- table, design, innovation, technique,metal
- Production Technology
- Metal Fabrication and Sheet Metal Working
Precision Mechanics for Elongation
Coating and Finishing Techniques - Design Challenge
- The technical aspect was undoubtedly the most complex. The extension mechanism is seamlessly integrated into the table's design, allowing it to open effortlessly. Every detail has been meticulously planned
- Project Duration
- I started designing this project in January 2024, and it was presented by Cantori at the Salone del Mobile 2025
- Operation Flow
- Suspended Lightness: The design creates a distinctive visual effect where the wooden top appears to float above the essential structure.
Customizable Covers: The legs feature curved sheet metal elements that can be clad in leather or finished in various colors.
Material Duality: The project combines the warmth of wood with the precision of metal, fusing craftsmanship with contemporary style.
Fluid Mechanism: The extension system is integrated for practical and immediate use without compromising the harmony of the forms.
Aesthetic Versatility: Thanks to interchangeable components, the table offers a tailored fit, adapting to any environment or requirement. - Research
- This technical design research aimed to integrate a complex extension system into a pure design aesthetic. We challenged the table's technical boundaries to achieve a relevant design capable of adapting to various contexts. Through prototyping and mechanical testing, we validated its smooth operation. The result renders the technology invisible, innovating the furniture sector with a product that blends sophisticated engineering with everyday simplicity.
- Inspiration
- The project draws its primary inspiration from the observation of contemporary architecture, seeking a constant visual and structural balance between the solidity of volumes and the lightness of supports. This reflection translates into the table through an essential metal framework, designed to support the wooden top by distancing it slightly from the load-bearing structure. This technical solution creates a precise suspended effect for the surface, reducing the visual impact of the contact point between the two materials.
For the development of the distinctive formal element—the architecture of the legs—the study focused on the concept of an "envelope," recalling the idea of an external protective casing. The legs were therefore equipped with curved sheet metal covers, conceived from the outset as modular components. The material inspiration centers on adaptability: these elements can be customized in materials such as leather or wood to integrate into various interior styles. The project offers the option to apply the exact same wood finish chosen for the top to the covers. This conceptual choice generates structural continuity between the base and the surface, returning a strict visual coherence to the product as a whole.
From an operational perspective, the design of the dynamic component was inspired by precision mechanics systems, aiming to conceal the mechanisms in favor of clean lines. Functionality is achieved through the integration of a fluid extension system, developed to expand the table's capacity in a strictly linear manner. The insertion of additional modules occurs in a way that does not alter the overall aesthetics of the structure, completely preserving the visual harmony and the proportions of the original closed configuration.