Josh Carmody, Seek HQ Boardroom Table (TABLES, CHAIRS & DESKS 2024)

Photos:

Haydn Cattach

Video tour:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6vrDpZLme-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

The largest piece in our scope for the Seek HQ project was this 26-seat boardroom table. At a significant 9000mm x 1400mm x 750mm (LxWxH) in size and hand crafted in solid Victorian Ash, this huge table was designed and made for reassembly in the Seek HQ boardroom overlooking AAMI Park, the MCG and the Melbourne CBD. Whether you are sitting at a table this large, or making a table this large, your attention will always be drawn to the details. So with this in mind, I designed this piece not only to reassemble on site, but to reassemble in a way where the joins and seams between components, and the overall layout of these components add to the aesthetic and to the functional structure of the table. There are so many subtle details at play in this piece. From the way this huge table top was designed to reassemble on site in a staggered overlapping segments to ensure a consistent uniform shape, to the pencil edges at every seam of this table top assembly, to the soft radius on the edges of the table bases and the underside of the 8m long beams, to the soft limited round over to the underside of the table top edges. These details together, executed to a high level and at scale, harmonise into something special in person. Details of note: Two huge rails run almost the full length beneath this massive tabletop assembly. So we centred both rails on each longitudinal tabletop seam, which provided us with a nice opportunity to add some interaction between the table top and the under frame. This subtle insertion of the rail into the negative space left by the edge profiles looks simple enough. But with no cutters available to match the idea, it was back to the hand tools. For an added detail, I decided to I spent about two full days getting this right. But I think it was worth it. Size: 9000 x 1400 x 750 Timber: Victorian Ash Finish: Osmo Polyx Semi Matte

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.