zaha hadid sawaya moroni: mew table milan design week

sawaya & moroni‘s 2016 collection highlights the italian brand’s true obsession with architecture, as evidenced in its collaborations with david adjaye, massimiliano fuksas, daniel libeskind, jean nouvel, dominique perrault, and zaha hadid.

zaha hadid‘s relationship with william sawaya and paolo moroni was the kind that many architects and designers — whether they were italian or foreign — established with the protagonists of the multi-faceted italian furniture network. it was a partnership of trust, that evolved into a long-term friendship and affection for one another. zaha hadid worked closely with them to develop a research that progressed and shifted from the craftsman’s workshop to industrial production, as also evidenced in the architect’s earlier ‘manta ray’ seating and ‘Z chair’ for the company. it is under this framework of versatility that zaha hadid conceived the ‘mew’ table desk for sawaya & moroni — her last design project before her recent and sudden passing on march 31st, 2016.

detail of the point in which the two distinct surfaces fold into one another
(above and main) image courtesy of sawaya & moroni

presented at the showroom of sawaya & moroni during milan design week 2016, the ‘mew’ table desk is an amphibious structure that finds itself at home both in the centre of a dining room; or as a surprising addition to the workplace. transverse by character and nature, it was completed just a few days before zaha hadid’s premature demise. the design intrigues the viewer with its unexpectedly light presence which takes shape in the form of sweeping motions. the high-density high polyurethane structure emerges from a single enveloping figure, expressing a fluid origami in which surfaces come together in a unique synthesis; characterized by a horizontal vein that cuts through it where the curving planes meet. at a certain point, the top of the table develops out of this sensual fold before descending downwards into two sculptural supports. these relate almost orthogonally, at a slight slope, generating an intentional irregularity that only zaha hadid knew how to infuse into her designs. available in vivid red, black or white — always in a single color and material — the ‘mew’ table stresses a monolithic and lightweight character which were signature features of the late architect’s work.

the ‘mew’ table by zaha hadid at the sawaya & moroni showroom
image © designboom

installation view of ‘mew’ table by zaha hadid at the sawaya & moroni during the milan design week presentation
image © designboom

the design intrigues the viewer with its unexpectedly light presence
image courtesy of sawaya & moroni