ateliertisch t-7060

The French word "atelier" means "workshop" and is, according to Wikipedia, "an artist’s workplace". One thing is for sure: The ateliertisch lives up to its name. Standing in the middle of the room you can approach it from every side to work on it. Swiss architect and designer Hans Bellmann devised the ateliertisch for horgenglarus back in 1953. After many decades it is now returning to the Glarner Manufaktur’s product line.

The ateliertisch was already included in their catalogues in the 50s and 60s, but it seems that the delicate design was a bit too vanguard and futuristic for the time, which is somewhat surprising as it is an incredibly practical companion. The designer thought so himself: Bellmann enjoyed working on the table he had devised with the objective of making it a very light table. In addition, another fundamental idea of this former Bauhaus student takes effect here: The table had to be very easy to take apart. If you are moving house and need to disassemble and reassemble it, this table will not mind at all, thanks to Bellmann’s typical construction method and the high-quality attachment.

Compared to its draft from 1953, the final product hardly changed. The solid wood frame interlocks in the corners with an offset on both sides to create the so called counterfeit, making the table aesthetically pleasing and the corners and table top more robust. The inserted table top is slightly thinner than the frame to make room for the cross bracing for the legs. The ateliertisch maintains its lightweight character without losing any of its robustness.

The table top stands on matte black steel tube legs, flaring towards the floor. Two legs each meet on a metal plate on the underside of the table. The two metal plates have four screws each for attaching them to the solid wood cross bracing on the underside of the table. So the entire table has only eight screws, making it very easy to release the table top from the frame. In particular in times of great mobility, the ateliertisch is your ideal life-long companion.

The table top is offered in oak, walnut, and beech, in a natural, black, or stained finish. The table dimensions are aligned with Le Corbusier’s Modulor proportional system based on human body dimensions. Therefore, the table is available in lengths of 183 cm, 226 cm and 296 cm, and in widths of 86 cm and 113 cm (the latter only for the 296 cm table). The table height is 75 cm. The Swiss ten frank note shows a portrait of Le Corbusier and his Modulor dimensions. So if you want to check the dimensions of your ateliertisch, just have a look at your Swiss money.