Contemporary furniture designer Robby Cuthbert combines construction principles with organic forms in his furniture design. With the tensegrity system alone, he carefully designed light and flexible coffee tables, table lamps, bookshelves, chairs and other furniture by running steel cables through wood, which are deeply loved by the public.

So what exactly is a tensegrity system? This term was first coined by American architect Buckminster Fuller, and refers to a system that relies on overall tension to achieve balance. Among the more famous designs is Fuller's geodesic dome, which looks light and exquisite, and is supported entirely by the tension between the internal fastening parts.

Using this concept, Cuthbert connected the furniture without any screws, nails or even any adhesive. Today, his designs are highly regarded in the architectural sculpture world.

Cuthbert: "Using wood and steel cables as the basic materials of my designs, each piece has its own potential energy, which once released will cause a huge change in the structure, which is also the charm of its own structure."

The simpler a design looks, the more likely it is that it contains the designer’s ulterior motives.

Image credit: Robby Cuthbert

Editor of this article: Shield summer