Compost Table

I've taken the models and added in some realistic surface finishes and material textures. The materials I've used follow the brief from Jayden and Kyle; using wood for the table top and table frame then using glass to create the composting area.

To give some interesting contrast between materials, I've used a dark mahogany for the table top and lighter oak for the table legs. The 'Compost Table' name is engraved into the glass on the sides and coloured green to tie into the colour of the plants in the composting area.

I'm really please with how the table is looking in these renders. Seeing it as it may look in real life makes me imagine being able to sit by the glass and see the process of food waste turning into compost. Hopefully Jayden and Kyle like how their vision for a composting table has been transformed into this design!

I've refined the design of the compost table to have a mechanism that lets the table top slide open and closed. This has been done using a rail under the table tops which runs in a slot on the frame of the table. All parts of the table (like the legs, rails, glass panels, etc.) have also been designed to slot together and be joined by wooden pins where possible. This is in keeping with the low environmental impact of Jayden and Kyle's table design, avoiding using materials and joining methods that would be difficult to reuse or recycle when the table reaches the end of its useful life.

The model now also includes some soil and plants in the middle. This is the area where food waste and crumbs can be dropped into when the top is opened giving a great source of nutrients to the plants within! I feel this has brought the idea to life, and gives us a model that's resembling Jayden and Kyle's vision.

In the screenshots of the table you'll notice that it's now all sorts of bold colours! The next stage of the project will be to create renders, this is where I will apply realistic surface finishes and material textures to the table to bring the model to life. Having different colours on the model makes it easier to drag and drop different surface finishes onto the table. For example, all the yellow will be replaced with an oak wood grain texture.

I can't wait to see how the renders come out next!

The sketches and models created by Kyle and Jayden were amazing and gave a great starting point for me to turn the compost table idea into a more detailed CAD (computer aided design) digital model.

This initial model doesn't have any colour or texture, this will come later once we've got all the parts made. But with the detail Kyle and Jayden talked about in our kick off meeting, I have been able to create the basic design of the table. I've kept the chunky legs sitting on log discs. On top, I'm creating a sliding system which will allow the table top to easily open when you want to drop food waste and crumbs into the composting area. The sides and base of the composting area are made from glass panels which fit into slots in the legs.

My next job is to finish off the mechanism which allows the table top to slide open and closed. Once I've done this I'll create a coloured version of the model which can be rendered to make it look real. Can't wait to see what it looks like during this next stage!