daevas adorns recycled coffee tables with persian + islamic patterns
photo © daevas
all images courtesy of daevas

 

 

 

milan-based design studio daevas has developed a pair of two coffee tables made from old wine containers (damigiana) and reinforced concrete: ‘NoDo’ and ‘coffee table for singles’. following a quote by paul arden in which he states, ‘whatever you think, think the opposite,’ the collective’s main philosophy strives to use materials that form unexpected combinations. thus, each of the elements within this project are taken out of their ordinary context. concrete, for example, is often used in construction for columns and floor slabs, but here it has been adapted for a smaller scale. in the same way, the decorative pattern seen on the top surface would normally be built with bricks or ceramic, but here it is applied to a contemporary component. the recycled damigiana used as the base of the table becomes a vase for flowers, emphasizing the concepts of rebirth and reuse.

daevas nodo coffee table pattern concrete wine container
top view of ‘NoDo’
photo © daevas

 

 

 

the defining feature of ‘NoDo’ is the main pattern embedded within the top plane that has been abstracted from decorative islamic patterns. the combined shapes used to articulate the overall ornamentation are called ‘gereh’, which means ‘nodes’ in the farsi language. their formation is determined by a mathematical organization from which an array of points generate lines that radiate and intersect. this allows for an infinite amount of compositions, all based on precise calculations that have historically been used on a large scale to dress architectonic elements such as entrances, arcs, window, and door frames. for more intricate details, the process has been used to ornament brickwork, ceramics, plaster, and mirrors.

daevas nodo coffee table pattern concrete wine container
water in the base adds stability
photo © daevas

 

 

 

the ten point star has been used traditional persian architectural monuments throughout time. in the iranian country, the geometry symbolizes the perfection of man in the eyes of god where he achieves individual existentialism. this ideology has been applied to the tabletop of daevas’ ‘coffee table for singles.’ the center of the cement decagram has been voided out to create a hole through which the glass bottle can be inserted. this connection is accompanied with additional stability provided by water that adds extra weight to the mass.

daevas nodo coffee table pattern concrete wine container
‘coffee table for singles’
photo © daevas

daevas nodo coffee table pattern concrete wine container
top view of the small furnishing
photo © daevas

daevas nodo coffee table pattern concrete wine container
the supporting structure is made from a recycled wine container
photo © daevas

daevas nodo coffee table pattern concrete wine container
the base can act as a vase for flowers
photo © daevas

 

 

 

‘in this project our main goal is to raise people’s awareness toward daily objects and routines, by showing that objects shouldn’t necessarily be considered as trash when they could have a totally new meaning and new life. with these objects we mean to show people that there is a hidden value in everything even in expelled objects. that’s how we define our products responsible.’ – asia samimi and nima fardi of daevas

daevas nodo coffee table pattern concrete wine container
the tabletop casts a shadow while the glass still reflects the environment
photo © daevas

daevas nodo coffee table pattern concrete wine container
the table in a setting
photo © daevas

daevas nodo coffee table pattern concrete wine container
details of the patterning
photo © daevas

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.