Honda Motocompacto - design evolution on two wheels
Red Dot Award: Product Design 2024
The legend of King Arthur and his famed Round Table has inspired countless stories, embodying values of equality, unity, and collaboration. These principles take physical form in the modular table and bench combination “King Arthur”, designed for public spaces. With its sturdy individual elements, the design reimagines the iconic round table as a modern gathering point.
Functionality meets sustainability
The size of the table-bench can be adjusted as desired, allowing it to be flexibly adapted to different public spaces and usage scenarios. This adaptability ensures that the bench always meets the needs of the respective space and its users.
The bench-table system uses minimal materials while offering ample seating. In the event of damage, individual components can be easily replaced, significantly reducing waste and extending the product's lifecycle.
In a thoughtful touch, the table’s open centre allows for the integration of greenery, such as plants or a tree. This central feature, reminiscent of the symbolic heart of the Round Table, transforms public spaces into inviting hubs for connection, discussion, and creativity.
Symbol of equality
The circular shape of the table is a nod to legend – it symbolises inclusivity, with no designated head, ensuring all who gather are equals. This ethos is further reflected in the bench’s accessibility options, including wheelchair accessibility, making it a true table for all.
Modern design inspired by cultural symbols
“King Arthur” combines timeless cultural symbols with modern functionality, sustainability and inclusion. The table-bench combination thus creates a place for people to meet in public spaces and promotes values that are just as relevant today as they were in the legend of King Arthur.
The Red Dot Jury was impressed and awarded a Red Dot in 2024: “The King Arthur modular table and bench combination impresses with its playful, graphic approach to design, but also in terms of sustainability.”
Special exhibition “Best of Austrian Design” at the Red Dot Design Museum Essen
The exhibition “Best of Austrian Design”, which can be seen at the Red Dot Design Museum in Essen from 18 December 2024, showcases award-winning projects from Austria in cooperation with designaustria. Works that have been honoured with the Austrian State Prize for Design or the Austrian Interior Design Award focus on topics such as progress, social relevance and sustainability. Among the exhibits are products from renowned brands such as woom, Swarovski Optik, Bene Office Furniture and Otto Bock Healthcare Products, as well as works from Austrian design studios that are less well known in this country. The exhibition will run until 9 February 2025.
