Benjamin Hubert of experience design agency LAYER has designed TRIADA, a trio of side tables for Spanish furniture brand Andreu World. The die-cast aluminium tables take their name from their signature tripod-style leg, and are designed to work in a variety of hospitality settings. The collection includes a stackable bar table, a stackable dining table, and a height adjustable occassional table. The soft visual language of each piece evokes a crafted quality that belies the industrial nature of aluminium. TRIADA is part of an ongoing collaboration between LAYER and Andreu World, which began with the award-winning HULA barstools.

Sculpted elegance

The TRIADA collection is designed to demonstrate how an expressive form can finesse industrial die cast aluminium and imbue the utilitarian material with a sense of elegance. The tripod-style legs have a subtle sculptural quality that gives the tables an ownable expression without it being overbearing. The soft impression is deepest at the foot of the leg and flows gently towards the central stem, reminiscent of the hand of an artisan working with a natural material, such as clay. This sensitive approach gives the tables a crafted aesthetic that sets them apart in a market saturated by a stricter, more technical visual language. It also introduces a sense of visual serenity into an interior and allows the tables to be specified in a multitude of different spaces.

Tiptoeing around

In order to maintain a subtle appearance that can easily fit into any interior, it was essential that the top surfaces of the TRIADA tables were stripped back to their most essential form. As a result, the visual signature of TRIADA is

found in the legs, which have an extremely fluid design language that is emphasised at the foot – the part of the leg structure that is most visible beneath the table top. The deep impression at the foot paired with its softly rounded form make the table appear to “tiptoe” on the floor with a light touch. When the stacking tables are folded up, the full expressive quality of the base is revealed, giving the table a strong identity even in storage mode.

A flexible response

The TRIADA tables are a response to the current global climate, in which ever-evolving lockdowns have necessitated increasingly flexible hospitality and gathering spaces. The collection features three tables – a stackable bar table, a stackable dining table, and a height adjustable occassional table. The stackable tables are ideal for settings, such as bars, restaurants, and galleries, where space is at a premium and seating needs

regularly change; while the height-adjustable occassional table enables greater flexibility within a space as it can be used to accompany relaxed soft seating when lowered and more formal hard seating when raised.

In our words

“The challenge when developing TRIADA was how to create a table with an accessible visual language that would also stand the test of time. It needed to be essential and effortless, but with a strong identity to prevent it from getting lost in a crowded market. As a result, we focused on making our mark in a way that was impactful without overpowering the tables’ simplicity. Flexibility was also essential. Today, furniture needs to adapt and react to the changeable state of the world. TRIADA can be stacked for storage or adjusted in height to transform its application.”

Benjamin Hubert – Founder, LAYER

In detail

• LAYER has designed TRIADA, a trio of side tables for Spanish furniture brand Andreu World.
• The die-cast aluminium tables — a stackable bar table, a stackable dining table, and a height adjustable occassional table — take their name from their signature tripod-style leg.
• The tripod-style aluminium legs have a subtle sculptural quality that gives the tables an ownable expression without it being overbearing.
• The TRIADA tables are a response to the current global climate, in which ever-evolving lockdowns have necessitated increasingly flexible hospitality and gathering spaces.