Derek Lin


Moon Gatefurniture design2024

A coffee table crafted from recycled plastic, designed to be both refined and functional. Its assembly is free of screws and brackets, ensuring easy construction and disassembly. With a fully circular lifecycle, all parts can be recycled or melted into new products, embodying sustainability and honest design.



role: industrial designer
team: roxy reiner, shariq mohamed
state: working prototype
client: Plastic Flux



Process


Initial Concepts + Sketches



Given the requirement for ancillary furniture, a coffee table was immediately considered due to its low commitment, strong marketability, and potential for flat-pack assembly.

Took inspiration from Brutalism and Japanese joinery techniques for their honesty in structural form and easy construction, which translates well through the design of the plastic tiles.


Goal: create something otherworldly and awe-inspiring.
The exploration of magic and illusion as a design element led to the concept of a floating tabletop.



Sketch Models


Scaled sketch model using foam core board before moving onto a pink foam model.

SolidWorks used to perfect dimensions + configure float effect.


Goal: identify joinery techniques, construction method and dimensions.



Prototyping: MDF Models + Adjustments


Prototype 1 Problem: “the float” illusion was coming at the cost of stability, a necessary characteristic for any coffee table.

Solution: steel struts proposed by Shariq adds stability, does not impede view of float and cohesive with industrial brutalist aesthetic.
additional feature: negative space added to the front view to increase visual interest from all angles



Final Model


The final design provides an eco-friendly solution to repurposing recycled plastic into usable furniture that is low commitment, easily assembled and marketable. At the end of its lifecycle, the disassembled pieces may be shredded again and made into a new plastic tile to be constructed once again. 

Takeaways:
A professional manufacturer or CNC would be preferred to minimize the margin of error, ensure precise cuts, and achieve seamless details and edges. Traditional saws are less suitable, as they risk damaging the plastic tiles through breakage or melting.

While the objective of this brief is to utilize plastic tiles, the project could be enhanced by replacing the plastic with a combination of concrete and wood, offering greater durability and longevity.








See the construction here.

Product Sheet

© Derek Lin 2025 — updated: 01_08_25