Office functionality, domestic aesthetics. A combination that perfectly encapsulates the identity of the new Nastro table by Alias. A product with a versatile, cross-functional DNA but also elegant and simple in its immediacy. Daniel Rybakken explored the design and concept of height-adjustable tables, a product category typically associated with workplaces but entirely reimagined by the designer in terms of its potential thanks to new smart working modes and especially those related to “working from home”
On one hand, current trends in the office world demand great flexibility from furniture, which must adapt to various spaces and work needs—from group work to individual tasks, in open spaces or single workstations. On the other hand, they are compared with a more comfortable, refined design aesthetic that nods to residential interiors, in a perspective that increasingly sees the workplace as halfway between traditional office and home. From these reflections comes the Nastro table, which distinctly moves away from the usual rigid and mechanical lines that characterize height-adjustable tables while retaining its distinctive design. The lifting system consists of a toothed belt and four pulleys connected to telescopic legs; the tabletop is adjusted with a simple manual movement of the belt (which is silent and durable), thus eliminating the need for electricity. This natural gesture allows for synchronized individual elevation of the legs while simultaneously revealing the chromatic side of each of them.
The ability to play with different tabletop levels allows Nastro to adapt to the rhythms and habits of daily life with great ease—from moments of work to those of conviviality—along with a linear and minimal design that suits any decor style. “At the lowest height, the unique characteristics of the table are not revealed at all, making it ideal for the home: from dining at the lowest height, to preparing food and drinks at a medium height, to working with a laptop at the highest height,” explains Daniel Rybakken.
Its versatility is equally expressed in terms of materials and finishes. Offered in three different sizes (100×190 cm, 100×250 cm, 110×320 cm), the tabletop and subtop are made of plywood or lacquered MDF, or aluminum honeycomb for the 110×320 cm version. The legs are made of aluminum (painted in various colors or veneered), while the internal telescopic leg is made of glossy painted aluminum in different colors.
