Interview with Maud Perrard on the design of the Agathe outdoor table
"I am a designer, project manager at Advance, a design, conception and manufacturing company of innovative objects, located in Lyon.
I have 5 years of post-graduate training in product design and my job is to assist companies in the development of their projects.
I designed the Agathe table with the Aurehum brand when I worked for Novam. »
The Agathe outdoor table is a table that can accommodate cooking appliances in the middle of it. This with the aim of cooking in all conviviality with your family and friends.
This innovative table opens on both sides, so that the central part of the table (which houses the appliances) can be raised and lowered, thanks to an electrical system, in order to store the appliances within it.
How was the design concept for the Agathe outdoor table developed?
The design of the Agathe outdoor table was carried out in several phases.
You have to imagine the design as a funnel. Therefore, we start by drawing a multitude of proposals and the more we go forward, the more we go into detail and we finally arrive at the finalization of the object.
First of all, before starting the design, it is necessary to know the trends and the competition. This phase of analysis has therefore allowed us to understand the market and define the specifications of the table.
The creative phase is then carried out by a phase of 2D freehand drawings by imagining several concepts, several lines of style: "What shapes can be imagined for the tray, for the feet. How can the top be folded? »
Above all, this type of drawing allows me to have no creative limits. I don't have any constraint unlike the one on the computer.
Then I present my first research to the client, who selects a concept that I will detail. For this second phase of creativity, I go into more detail. So I start imagining the different parts of the table and try to simplify the uses and think about the user: How do I integrate the different cooking elements? How to store them? How will the user open the table? etc.
We meet again to validate orientations, functional solutions.
The concept is formalized, we can move on to its development, i.e. from design to an industrializable design.
The design of this outdoor table is the result of a teamwork between the technical part represented by Mr Jacquelin, manager of the brand Aurehum, the marketing realized by his collaborator Charline Vargoz and the design.
Thanks to the technical expertise of Mr Laurent Jacquelin, we were able to quickly define the structure of the table and produce a functional prototype. This allowed us to validate the dimensions and the number of parts in order to guarantee stability and design. (M.P)
Why did you choose these materials for the design of this outdoor table?
One of the important points was to enhance the know-how of the founding company of the Aurehum brand, specialising in aluminium profile structures.
The creative research was therefore turned to integrate an aluminium profile structure.
For the plateau, a materials watch was set up upstream of the project.
We've incorporated Detkon.
Dekton is a mixture of raw materials. It is made of glass, porcelain, quartz. It is a material that is resistant to heat, water, stains, scratches and time: very suitable for an outdoor table with a central cooking system. (M.P)
Why is the table represented by a thin line with a rich structure?
The objectives and constraints in terms of design were to design a sturdy outdoor table to give it charisma and to enhance its advanced technicality. It was also important to imagine this table as a solid and opulent one because of the functionality of opening and closing the trays while integrating a central cooking system.
In order to lighten the visual impact and achieve an attractive design, I therefore imagined thin lines for the table frame. (M.P)
What needs should this table meet?
This table that can accommodate 10 people has been designed to spend a convivial moment around a meal, an aperitif with family or friends. Everybody can cook in his place, therefore nobody is excluded from the table when cooking or preparing the dish.
Most tables on the market today are 6 to 8 person tables. However, here the whole family can be gathered around one table.
In the closed position, the cooking appliances are therefore protected and secured. Thus, it is possible to enjoy the table for other activities; reading, drawing, decoration...
This table is therefore multi-purpose. (M.P)
What style is Agathe inspired by?
Agathe is inspired by a pure, very high-end style. We wanted a sturdy table, with a striking line and simplicity, and I think we succeeded. (M.P.)
What did you want people to feel when you saw this table?
Our goal is to make the excellence of shapes, materials and functionality felt. To make anyone want to settle down, prepare and share a meal all year round. (M.P)
Describe how you experienced this challenge, what motivated you to carry out this project?
Drawing a table is not as simple as it may seem.
You have to be innovative, give meaning to creation while enhancing the customer's know-how.
I found it interesting and complete to work on this very high-end table, as it requires a lot of work on details and finishes. It therefore requires rigour and more than an aesthetic reflection, a technical reflection. (M.P)
Aurehum
Aurehum