SubscribeSign In
Collection by Luke Hopping

Gather Round These 5 Modern Communal Tables

Some designers embrace communal seating as a part of an egalitarian philosophy, others have it thrust on them by spatial constraints. Either way, elongated tables have lately become an accepted ingredient in modern hospitality design. Checkout a few of our favorites.

View 5 Photos
The brightly lit cafe boasts ample tables and seating for patrons to read, converse, or catch up on work. "The main objective was to create an environment where people in the community would come, hang out and stay for a while," says Nema.
The brightly lit cafe boasts ample tables and seating for patrons to read, converse, or catch up on work. "The main objective was to create an environment where people in the community would come, hang out and stay for a while," says Nema.
Photo by: David A. Lee
Photo by: David A. Lee
"We tried to create places where [people] can work, meet, eat, drink and relax," Vermeulen says. "This calls for a large variety of seating arrangements, all with their own intimate atmospheres but still part of the whole." A large mural by Julian Opie, carved out the granite cladding of the elevator core and filled with gold leaf, provides a dramatic backdrop for a long communal table lit by hanging Tom Dixon pendant lights. Hella Jongerius's Polder Sofa for Vitra sits next to Fauteuil chairs by Jean Prouvé, restyled by G-Star Raw. Photo by Adrian Gaut.
"We tried to create places where [people] can work, meet, eat, drink and relax," Vermeulen says. "This calls for a large variety of seating arrangements, all with their own intimate atmospheres but still part of the whole." A large mural by Julian Opie, carved out the granite cladding of the elevator core and filled with gold leaf, provides a dramatic backdrop for a long communal table lit by hanging Tom Dixon pendant lights. Hella Jongerius's Polder Sofa for Vitra sits next to Fauteuil chairs by Jean Prouvé, restyled by G-Star Raw. Photo by Adrian Gaut.
The location for the new restaurant, which opened in February 2010, was a barn on the ranch that had been used as a plant nursery. "It wasn't an incredibly old barn," Johanson says. "It was built around the 1970s, but it was built with a very agricultural look." To stay true to its form, Johanson and her colleagues Mark Wilson, Catharine Tarver, and Bridie McSweeney decided to leave as much of the structure intact as possible, playing up the post-and-beam system and revealing the shape of the roof on the interior.
The location for the new restaurant, which opened in February 2010, was a barn on the ranch that had been used as a plant nursery. "It wasn't an incredibly old barn," Johanson says. "It was built around the 1970s, but it was built with a very agricultural look." To stay true to its form, Johanson and her colleagues Mark Wilson, Catharine Tarver, and Bridie McSweeney decided to leave as much of the structure intact as possible, playing up the post-and-beam system and revealing the shape of the roof on the interior.