Amanda Millin

July 1, 2014

At their melting points, certain substances exhibit solid and liquid phases that exist in a state of equilibrium. In her new Liquid Glacial table, Zaha Hadid appears to have captured that fleeting moment between water and ice. 

The Pritzker-winning architect’s acrylic design (available as an 18-foot-long dining table or 8-foot-long coffee table, in transparent or smoke-colored versions, with prices starting at $250,000) debuted last year at London’s David Gill Galleries (www.davidgillgalleries.com). 

The tabletop’s edges are smooth, but Hadid created ripples at the center of the piece, which is milled by machine and then polished by hand. The subtle waves culminate in whirlpools where the top meets the icicle-like legs. Fluidity and changeability certainly are not new concepts for Hadid, whose forty-some finished buildings (more are in the works) stand internationally as clear examples of thoughtful, world-class modern design.