Soda Tables: the award-winning design of Yiannis Ghikas

Through this series, Yiannis Ghikas was distinguished for the elegant aesthetics of his product but also for his clever use of only one material, glass. The simplicity and attentive creation of a balanced atmosphere are elements that characterise this artist in general.

Yiannis Ghikas | miniforms.com

Yiannis Ghikas’ design

The primary task of Ghikas’ design is functionality since he considers design as the fulfilment of both material and immaterial needs. His objects generate positive emotions, while they contribute to the formation of space that is exceptional, something that can render an object timeless. Even if these are complicated concepts, he manages to manifest them using just one material. In the case of Soda Tables that material is blown glass.

Soda Tables | Image: Alessandro di Bon, miniforms.com

Designing the Soda Tables

The unique design with the monolithic crowning and the base shaped like petals was born when Miniforms commissioned Ghikas to create a blown glass table. Seeing in this the opportunity for creative research but also the technical obstacles when it comes to glass crafting, the designer had but one choice: to collaborate with the glass craftsmen of Murano, the island north of Venice with the great tradition in glass blowing. The result was a single volume of glass, weighing around 20kg and even though it looks robust and stable, it constantly transforms its surrounding space through its interaction with light.

Soda Tables | Image: Alessandro di Bon, miniforms.com

The series was named after soda, that is, sodium carbonate, which is one of the three basic ingredients of glass. In Soda Tables, the glass seems to be vibrating. The transparent element combined with the roughness of the material and the soft colours (light yellow or green petrol shades), creates unique reflections and shadows that impart a distinctive aesthetic to the industrial object.

Constructing the Soda Tables in Murano | Image: Alessandro di Bon, miniforms.com

The award-winning Soda Tables

All the aforementioned were mirrored in the response of buyer audiences and connoisseurs of design. Already in 2020, the Archiproduct platform showcased Ghikas’ table series as one of the most successful designs of the year. Moreover, ADI (Association for Industrial Design of Italy), through the ADI Design Index platform, praised the object as one of the best in its “design for homes” category. Towards the end of 2021 Soda Tables won the public choice award and first place in the “Furniture Design of the Year” category of the annual awards of Dezeen, eliciting laudatory comments from the judges’ panel:

“This is a great example of simplicity in design. The material has a poetic quality, and out of all the pieces we’ve seen, this is the most innovative and surprising."

The two colours of the Soda Tables | Image: Alessandro di Bon, miniforms.com

But also in the AZ Awards of Azure Magazine, Ghikas was awarded in respective categories, among 22 other objects. The platform observed that the Soda Tables merge a modern artistic expression with an Old World tradition. The judge, Ini Archibong, noted that:

“The Soda Coffee Table honours craftsmanship and translates Murano’s heritage in a very effective language. It’s a simple shape that underlines the beautiful imperfections of the glass.”

Repeatedly awarded, Soda Tables and Yiannis Ghikas bring forth simplicity, technique and small scale, all sustainable elements that characterise today’s design.

Read More: https://www.yiannisghikas.com/