Contemporary Concrete Side Table, Collar by Oliver Whyte

Oliver Whyte is a multi-disciplinary design studio established by Ross Robertson, focusing on Collectible African Design and Interior Architecture. Guided by Ross's background in architecture, Oliver Whyte's design philosophy is rooted in the use of strong forms, clean lines and rich materials taken from his built environment. All Oliver Whyte's pieces are hand made in South Africa by highly skilled artisans - combining their passion with his design, to form truly unique objects. The Core Collection was born out of the idea of expressing a material in a different light. After taking a concrete core from a building site, I realized that the simple process of core drilling could actually create something manicured and desirable. Through a process of drilling, a positive piece of concrete is created and a negative cylindrical hole is left in a surface plane. The common thread between the pieces of the Core Collection is the use of an over-sized concrete base, shaped in various ways to support a light and more refined top. The use of different materials creates a conversation between each of them; the juxtaposition of heavy and light, positive and negative, and the floating shapes that have been designed to strike the right balance. Each core base goes through a fastidious process of grinding and polishing to achieve the granite smooth finish to each piece. There are 5 pieces in the collection, each with a different element to the base that gives it an identity and character.