Avid readers who cling to the book as an endearing physical object will find in this novel book table a functional companion to the cozy hours of the day.
Buchtisch is a multi-functional piece of furniture, carefully tending to both the practical and emotional needs of its users and it is brought to us from German design duo Studio Voigt Dietrich. Hailing from Potsdam, Sebastian Voigt and Franz Dietrich, class of 1984, hold a BA in Product Design from FH Potsdam and have started their studio in 2011.
Made in MDF and beech, the small table is simple yet sophisticated, with clear lines and an elegant contrast between the black surface and the light texture of the wood. This minimalist quality is coupled with an aura of comfort and relax, which add to the value of the design.
A conversation piece in its own right, Buchtisch takes an innovative approach to the book table. It is in fact unexpectedly diamond-shaped, thus departing from the more typical flat level horizontal surface.
In this respect, form does indeed follow function. This unusual but ingenious shape allows for a void space where to store books, its tilted position integrating bookend functionality. Also, it effortlessly doubles as a larger version of a bookmark to be placed in one’s favorite reading spot. The reader need simply place an open book upside down at its peak to signal her current read or prompt her to reach for a favorite novel, this way replicating the display function which is an homage to the book as a tangible reservoir of the printed word. On one side of it, one still finds a small even surface with enough space to place a few useful items: reading glasses, a pencil for scribbling notes but also the coffee or wine which so often complement the optimal reading experience, building a narrative of coziness and warmth around an otherwise simple and linear object.
On a final note, the choice of beech wood as material is a curious and interesting one. It is in fact from the Old English word for beech, bōc, that the modern term for book derives. The German word for it is Buch with Buche meaning beech tree, and one cannot but appreciate this very appropriate correspondence.
Produced and distributed through Rejon, from which it can pre-ordered by email, the studio set out to lbegin a small series of the newly launched Buchtisch, which is at the moment only available in black.
