Sofie Østerby — Slope Dining Table
ABOUT THE PROJECT:
Through the design of the Slope dining table, Sofie Østerby has merged monolithic forms with a tactile and humanistic approach to detailing. Inspired by the way in which people interpret and digitise physical landscapes – in this case topographical maps, Østerby has instead re-interpreted the two-dimensional back into the physical; each of the table’s components acting as a single “slice” of raw terrain. Produced entirely from CNC milled, thermo treated ash wood, the tight grain and uniform colour of the timber highlights subtle shifts in form as irregular bevelled edges invite the user to interact with each of Slopes organic components.
Material and dimensions:
Thermo Ash.
140 x 140 x 74cm.
Year:
2024
PHOTOGRAPHY BY:
Benjamin Lund
LONG DESCRIPTION:
The inspiration for the Slope dining table began some years ago while Østerby was touring through remote parts of the United States. Desert landscapes complete with jutting, rugged mountains sparked Østerby’s interest into how we use two-dimensional mapping to interpret the world we see around us. Just as topographical maps combine the physical and the digital, the designer approached Slope through a similar lens. Utilising computer modelling techniques and CNC milling, a sense of familiarity is instilled within the table due to its organic formations lifted directly from the topographical projections of these desert regions. The choice of thermo treated ash wood for all of Slope’s components also reference these remote locations – the warmer tone of the treated timber alongside its grain pattern contain subtle references to the sedimentary rock found within these landscapes. The unique combination of irregular organic forms and the warmth of the material allows Slope to stimulate the senses whilst also encouraging a graceful period of ageing, instilling a second, temporal based narrative to the piece.
DESIGNER BIO:
Sofie Østerby.
Designer, born 1988.
With her studio situated within the bustling neighbourhood of Nørrebro, the work of designer Sofie Østerby aims to slow down the process of design, forming a body of work based on time spent understanding objects and their function. Working between sculptural and functional focused objects for design galleries, commissions and companies, Østerby’s creations are textural and raw in nature, yet refined in form. Her projects focus on an in-depth exploration of materials over time, allowing the effects of production processes and a products use to inform a design language that embraces the irregularities in raw materials. Earlier studies in photography and sculpture influence a creation process that flows organically between hands-on techniques and contemporary technology, resulting in work that is designed for everyday use, yet is deeply rooted to the functional and spiritual connection between people and objects.
EDUCATION:
2015: MA, Furniture & Spatial Design, The Royal Danish Academy, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2015: Exchange, Photography & Sculpture, OCAD University, Toronto, Canada.
2009: Architecture and Fashion, Kompetencehuset, Aarhus, Denmark.
EXHIBITIONS:
2024: Group Exhibition, A Matter Of Things, Backhaus Projects, Germany.
2023: Group Exhibition, Merging & Emerging, Movimento, Milan Design Week, Italy.
2023: Group Exhibition, Yoonede, 3daysofdesign, Denmark.
2023: Group Exhibition, Boon Room, Paris Design Week, France.
2022: Group Exhibition, Dest Gallery, Seed On The Ground, China.
2020: Product Launch, Fredericia Furniture, 3daysofdesign, Denmark.
2020: Group exhibition, MAISON DENTSU, Kolkhoze, France.
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