There are surfaces in nature designed to beautifully deform, welcoming a change in volume or weight. When they do so, they reveal an even more beautiful transient appearance. So when it comes to designing a centrepiece tray made from a thin sheet of stainless steel, the most instinctive approach was to deform the surface in this most natural way. This is what Megaptera whales do when feeding, and their ventral grooves expand to accommodate a larger volume of water. Here the ribbing of the tray expresses the gentle surface’s deformation while optimising its structural rigidity, without increasing unnecessary the sheet metal thickness.
The tray was presented to the public in London in September 2011.
Manufactured by Officina Alessi