Design Critiques 3: The coffee table, Noguchi

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I'll be the one to say it...I think it's horrid. I like nothing at all about it.

As time goes on, I can appreciate a little more 'art' than I used to could...but obviously still have a limited eye.

KC

[Joe Mioux]

I was wondering where Design Critique Three was. Today is my first look at this table. So without much reflection, here it goes.

The table has good balance and rythmn. The curves of the legs demonstrate the rythmn and the three points of the legs balance the "fragile" glass top.

In my floral art design work, we use a lot of triangles to define good design and bad design. The triangular shape is simple, classic, and practical. While attending design school, we also used the concept of heaven, earth, people. In this table, the glass top is heaven, the point of the legs holding the glass are the people and the horizontal parts of the leg represents earth.

[Peter Hochmann]

Shows you how much I know, I've never seen this table before today. The lines flow nicely. Ingenious simple design. I'm sure it illustrates a number of design elements.
But, I don't like it. I don't know why, nor do I know what. I am just not fond of it. It does not have that "wow" factor for me.

[Arnie Grammon]

First off, what I know about art and design you could write on the head of a pin with a cold chisel. With that in mind, here are my plebeian comments.

One: It is NOT mission.

Two: It is NOT arts and crafts.

Three: I like it as it is, and feel that it could be scaled to meet the needs of the room. Without too much imagination, I could see it as an end table with an extended vertical leg section. I like the smooth lines of the base, but I agree that the glass, while necessary, is not for a home with children. OTOH, a house with children probably can't afford this piece....

Just my penny's worth, and you get what you pay.

Ken:

I read all the posts, and I must say, yours takes the award for being the most humorous! FWIW, I tend to agree with it more than many of the other more abstruse, obscure, critical evaluations.

My two cents (and worth every penny): It's not for me, but if I had been selling this for the last 60 yrs, then it would be my all-time favorite design .

Arnie

Ken.......are you sure that this piece doesn't reflect the Modernistic Mission period?

[Alfred Hoffmann]

Seeing the Naguchi coffee table brings back a lot of memories. I have no background in residential furniture - 30 years of my working life was in the office furniture industry. The coffee table shown was designed for Herman Miller in 1950 by Isamu Naguchi. With several years of interruptions it has been manufactured ever since - here in the States as well as in Europe (Vitra) as well as in Japan. The base has been produced in walnut as well as in blow molded plastic (european version). The original glass top was belgian floated glass. I don't know if that is still the case. Herman Miller still produces it.
I was a product development manager for Herman Miller in the 70's and own two of these (US and european version). Mostly these tables are nowadays found in homes and offices in conjunction with the Eames lounge chair.

Alfred Hoffmann

[Jim Becker]

Alfred, thanks for adding that interesting history to the conversation!

[Jerry Crawford]

I think one of the reasons this table has such longevity is because a lot of people intuitivly see the balance and design grace as well as the application of "classic" proportions in a new way, and, the unique relationship of the wood and glass (combining hard and soft materials and edges). I would call this very much in the genre of Modernism art BTW, because for any movement to achieve noteriety it has to gather momentum, a recognizable body of work and be viewed (by critics who make a living doing this sort of thing) in retrospect, ie. Classical, Impressionsist, Post impressionists, etc. Noguchi probably didn't see this as just a table, it was a new direction and had motion as did the world society coming out of WWII.

In my eye there is grace and balance in the oppositional use of identical wood structure, one the flipped reflection of the other (when you look in glass you see a reflected opposite of yourself or ...). The triangular shape theme is carried throughout the piece in the shape of the glass top and the shape of the support structure. I recall that Noguchi was a world class sculptor and as such using mixed media was his forte.

The comment about it not fitting into many environments is true. If you park it in a 1950's living room where everything else is fumed Mission Oak, chintz and bricka-brack it's not going to do well. But, the same can be said for any other piece of furniture we fall in love with on the showroom floor but when we get it home it's a bust.

I'd love to find out what the design criteria was when he created this. I haven't any idea if he just did it as a part of a show or was commissioned and handed a blank check - regardelss, it's a lovely balanced and artful design.

[Donnie Raines]

I dislike the style....anything that is "other then the norm" falls flat with me. I am by no means quailfied to be a art critic...but you have to go with what moves you...and this does not. I understand that to explore new ideas one must push the envelope. But for somethings...there is a limit for for me.

I can appreciate the effort that was put forth in this product. From a "builders" point of view, one can surely appeciate the talent that was involved in making this. But from a raw design form...it's not for me. Thats why I live in a country looking house with country looking stuff. I am ole' fashin at a young age me guesses....

[Bill Marcheck]

Well, I like it a lot, it took us two years to find it.

Here how it looks in a "real" room. As you can see shape wise it works quite well with a sectional sofa. I don't think it would work well functionally with a single sofa. Conversely any kind of rectangular table would not fit in well with our couch, and a square table woud take up too much space. Barely visible is a small end table of the same design.

For perspective the room is 15 X 15.

Note the books (currently reading Maloof), magazines and wine glasses, so it is possible to use this table This
is our only useable living space, so the tables need to be functional for us, no artwork here.


Bill

[Jerry Crawford]

very nice setting

[JD MacLeod]

Interesting discussion. Alfred's information surrounding Noguchi designing this for Herman Miller is interesting for sure - i had assumed this was another piece done for Knoll. I love the juxtiposition of materials and also the clean lines here in this table. Would have one in our great room if this design were LESS popular - in this part of the country (or maybe it's our circle of friends, my wife paints in the abstract expressionist style and was also art history major) this table is everywhere. Also, as modern art/architecture/design historians would point out, the "modern" style was an attempt to bring industrial techniques into the home (or the building of the home, ie if walls are perfect > no moldings needed to hide imperfections); easily reproduced or mass produced, clean lines etc. My guess is that the jointed edges (mentioned earlier in the thread) are a function of this.

Anyway, i love this noguchi design, but also appreciate other wildly differing styles just as much.

[Robert Trotter]

I like the general concept and design points that have been bought up but personally if I were to try and make it myself (probably could not get close - get it made for me maybe ) I would go for more slender wooden structural elements. As it is it is bit too "solid" for my own tatses. A lighter frame would open it up a bit more for my own tastes and not visually "fill" the space so much. But put in a larger room with minimal furniture and probably with marble,slate or some stone flooring it would look very nice as is. The glass top of similar material or "value" as the floor in contrast to the wood of the supports. Cool and calming in a hot summer.

At the moment I would think this table would be very popular in Japan for two reasons. The First is that it is a famous design. (Japan loves brand names and famous designers) The second is that it would suit the current modern Japanese trend, and allow a visual opening up of the space in the minimal amount of space that most homes have here. Also break the box and rectaliniear feel of many homes. Glass tops for rooms of limited size work very well. But setting would be everything. In the wrong room with lots of clutter it could look very ordinary.

Just my 2 yen worth.

Rob

[Erica Mendoza]

I recently purchased a replica Noguchi Coffee Table from All World Furniture and am looking for a matching end table. All World doesn't sell the end table and they couldn't recommend me one either. I love the table but my living room seem so incomplete without a couple of end table to go with it. I did found one online but I don't really like the way it look. Any help would be appreciated. Here's the exact table I bought.

https://www.allworldfurniture.com/is...fee-table.html