tianyu xiao: writable

  ‘writable’ coffee table by tianyu xiao

created by china-born, sweden-based industrial designer tianyu xiao, the ‘writable’ coffee table incorporates flippable chalkboard tablets into its surface, permitting the furniture to be used at any moment as both table and communication tool. storage for chalk is built directly into the panels for ready access.

the piece was presented at stockholm furniture fair 2011, as part of ‘the collector’ exhibition of works by students at the HDK school of design and crafts.

from the designer:

‘how can a piece of furniture make people more communicative? writable is a unique table that allows messages to be easily written onto the table surface. it creates a new way of communicating and enhances the relationship between people in real life, offering possibilities for different kinds of people to use it in a way that suits them; especially those who are not good at communicating with other people face to face.meanwhile, the marks and doodles can be seen as a symbol of their particular lives.’

full front view with panels hidden

additional view

chalk storage is built into the panels

three built-in panels can be flipped to reveal chalkboard surfaces

with the chalkboards built directly into the table, ‘writeable’ can be used simultaneously as surface and for message-writing

flipping the panel

the table is a convenient site for leaving notes

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication.we have already acquired many submissions, so keep on the lookout for more of your projects to be published in the coming days!