Chess Side Table
A living chessboard of bark and resin, where nature breaks the black-and-white rules and every square plays its own story.
50 x 70 x H 64 cm — Bespoke Sizes, Shapes and Finishes
2017 — Salone Satellite, Milan
BARK -various types and species-, Transparent RESIN, Burnished STEEL Base
Phellem is the outer layer of tree bark, a living skin that protects, adapts and carries the unique character of each species. When injured, the tree releases a liquid that hardens into natural resin, sealing the wound and defending the vital layers beneath. Inspired by this instinctive gesture, alcarol preserves selected bark surfaces with a bio-based transparent resin, freezing their textures exactly as they appeared in their original habitat.
The Chess Side Table reinterprets the ancient art of inlay, unveiling the richness of different bark species and overcoming the rigid dualism of the classic black-and-white chessboard. Each square becomes a natural tile with its own tone, rhythm and grain, as if every move on the board were dictated by the forest rather than by rules.
The asymmetrical composition brings dynamism and versatility, while the metal base — designed to slide beneath a sofa — offers flexibility in use, adapting to changing spaces. More than a side table, it is a game of matter and meaning, where nature replaces abstraction, and strategy gives way to sensibility.
A surface to place objects, or thoughts — a chessboard where every square is alive.
Highlights from
In dialogue with architects, designers and collectors, we shape bespoke pieces — where matter becomes language and creation is always a shared exploration.