The Cinderella Table.

material : birch plywood, 57 layersdimensions: 132cmX100cmx81

cmproduced by: ID PRODUCTIONS.

photo: IMM Clogne 2006, Ideal House

The"Cinderella Table" is on display in the Philip Johnson Architecture and Design Galleries on the third floor in MOMA. Jeroen Verhoeven,a founding designer of the Demakersvan (a design team comprised of three 29-year-olds, Joep Verhoeven,Judith de Graauw and himself)is inspired by 17th and 18th century Rococo-style shapes of tables. He used sketches of traditional table shapes to make the Cinderella Table's elegant lines. For making these delicate lines and shapes, he simplifies their outlines and puts them into a computer program. It translates the outlines into a three dimensional form. In this way, he is able to make the this industrialized piece of furniture with craftsmanship.

The "Cinderella Table" is manufactured by using CAD-CAM (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing). The "cinderella table" is designed digitally, on screen. The computer files representing its shape in two dimensions are used to control the robot line that make its three dimensional form. Using birch wood,the table is sliced and “each of the 57 slices, each 8omm thick (a total 0f 741 layers of plywood) is manufactured by CNC (computer numerically controlled) cutting machines." There are normally used to shape steel, wood, other materials, “working on three, and sometimes five axes. Each slice is cut from the front and from the back to perfect the curves and undercuts, pushing the boundaries of the technology.” All the slices are glued together to form table and the whole table is finished by hand. Through these steps, he is able to make a wonderful curved shape and a hollow form.

In terms of using high tech machine, it is attractive to make details, something uniquely shaped as well as having a exaggerated lines. Even though we are worried about the lack of craftsmanship in technological time, we are able to make the special curved and decorated shapes as well as good designed quality in a brief period of time compare to hand-made crafts. It is also economical for mass production. By using computer, we are free to make geometric shapes and design something special to combine crafts and machines. As Jeroen Verhoeven said "the CAD-CAM is (in his words) a new modern craft". The "Cinderella Table" represents the possibility of using a high tech method as “craft”.

Seeing The "Cinderella Table" at first time, I am really interested in its design having the natural curve movements but now I am attracted by its concept and methods about connecting traditional shape and high tech machine. we have to develop connection between the designs and the computer programs in our modern society. However we also keep in mind that machines start working for us ,instead of following ourselves to be led by them, as so often happens these days.