This illuminated side table is made entirely of glass. The table is comprised of 37 glass tubes, laminated between two pieces of sheet glass. The sheet glass is water-jet cut to the shape of the bundled tubes. One of the tubes incorporates an LED lighting component to illuminate the table. This lighting component is wired through the top of the table, then runs down the side of the piece. The translucency and refraction properties of glass diffuse the light, providing ambient light to define a personal space.

The school assignment was to create a product for home use made out of glass. The guidelines for the project were very broad and were interpreted by every student in a varied manner. The context that I personally created for the project was to create a glass furniture piece that focused on an individual in their home in need of a personal space they were visually attracted to.

The intent of this project was to create a visually unique furniture piece using readymade glass materials. The bundle of tubes is consistent with the geometry of circle packing. The table is illuminated to create ambient lighting that is attractive and welcoming to the user. The glass tubing diffuses the light to define a personal space. Since the tubes are bundled and laminated top and bottom, the piece is very strong, yet visually delicate. This visual delicacy adds a unique value for the owner.

This research developed through the creation of this table was dependent on simplification of the final product. The initial idea was to have very small tubes connected in a bundle, where the top and bottom were open. The size of the tubes were going to be the size of a U.S. dime, so that change could be thrown on the table top and not fall through. This would have created a problem if a drink were spilled on the table. The concept of using open tubes was more conceptual and not practical as a final product. A lot of exploration in tube sizing and bundle variation was explored to end up with the final tube diameter. The available diameters of this borosilicate glass tubing range from 4mm to 140mm. The decided tube diameter was 58mm, which created a nice bundle. Another area of research was cutting the tubes. In order to have a seamless assembly of the final product, all 37 tubes must be exactly the same length, and the ends perfectly perpendicular. With the help of a glass machining facility, I was able to use a CNC end mill to cut the tubes of all equal length and make them perfectly square. A new machining pattern needed to be developed due to the tubes cracking when being milled sideways. The final assembly of the 37 tubes, and the 2 sheet glass patterns, was a lengthy process of glueing the tubes one by one to the sheets. This needed to be done so that the UV cured glue created a seamless seal and was not visible. Once the table was all assembled, it became an extremely strong and solid structure due to its circle packing characteristics.

My intent for this furniture piece was to provide aesthetic value in the manner of an artistic sculpture that is also functional. This piece creates a central focus for the user in their home as the light becomes welcoming. The glass table makes the owner feel at home because of their attraction to the piece and its added visual value.