Table collapses to smallest space

Problem: Those with a shortage of space readily appreciate the advantages of folding furniture. Chairs and tables for dinner events in multi-purposed venues often have to be designed to be folded and stacked to make space for occasions requiring clear floor space. Camping furniture has to be able to go into the back of a car still leaving space for the tent and the food hamper. And students forced by lack of funds to live in bed sits, greatly appreciate tables and beds which can be packed away in minimal space to provide a larger area for partying.

Commercially available designs, although excellent in many ways, still tend to take up much more space than the theoretical minimum. Tables with fold up legs leave large areas of surface unfolded as do beds.:

Solution Two designs being developed by students at the Royal College of Art take the ideas of folding tables and beds a few stages further than has been considered possible hitherto.

Michael Saunders has a round table which depends on living hinges in polypropylene to allow it to fold up. The flat part consists of four sectors, each of which is creased in the middle to allow it to fold upwards. Folding down a section on the outside prevents folding up in use. The square post in the centre is also hinged on each corner, and it is thus possible to fold up the whole construction, resulting in a flat and light weight, 'L' shaped package.

Impressed by his prototype design at the RCA's work in progress show, course tutor Daniel Charny then drew Eureka's attention to the work of another of his students, David Fowler, who had developed a roll up bed which unrolls to become flat and rigid. David Charny is particularly interested on folding structures made of plastic, and referred to the roll up bed as making good use of "Shutter language". He appears to have quite a number of techniques at his disposal.

Applications All constructions which have to be folded or rolled up and then unfolded or unrolled to become rigid. Origami does not have to be restricted to paper. TS www.rca.ac.uk