The Step table by Michigan designer Erika Cross features an interchangeable top and base that can be stacked on top of each other at different heights, thanks to their ridged mating surfaces.
The design is based on a mechanical device called a step block, which consists of a pair of metal wedges with teeth running along one side and is used in workshops to clamp objects in place.
For the Step table, this geometry has been blown up to oversized proportions and turned into a deep black stepped wedge and cylinder duo, which can be arranged into different configurations with either placed on top.

"The same type of mechanical interface is present in the step blocks as in the two parts of the Step table, with the articulating teeth providing height adjustability," Cross told Dezeen. "With a larger scale and with refined geometries, simple industrial tools have been repurposed into household furniture."

Thanks to its two reconfigurable elements, the table can offer a smaller or larger surface area depending on need and can be adjusted in height from a low coffee table to a taller side table.
According to Cross, facilitating this kind of active relationship with an object is a key aim of her design process.

"I believe that interaction creates value," explained the designer, who won Best in Show for the Step table at this year's NYCxDESIGN Awards.
"A piece that can be customised or reconfigured is an invitation for the user to get involved with ...