Prototype Concepts
After multiple discussions, the WEI group decided on this years project as a historical live edge table due to the generous donation from The Grove at Virginia Tech allowing us to work with a historical tree. WEI wanted to maintain a natural and rustic look to the table, deriving inspiration from various traditional dining tables as well as from examples of competitors' live edge tables. Dimensions were chosen based on functionality and aesthetic appeal. The design team who came up with the prototyping concepts worked hand in hand wih the production team to keep in consideration their capabilities as well as their limitations. 3D models and renderings were done using Google Sketchup by WEI's Skip Strickler along with the help of Ethan Blye. One of their biggest challenges was highlighting the historical importance of the tree and maintaining a natural look yet functional use.
