The Fabric-Formed Concrete Desk
Tempe
2011
My journey with fabric-formed concrete has taken me down a lot of different paths. Over the years, we’ve pioneered and refined techniques that much of the industry has now adopted. One of the approaches we innovated was hardened shell fabric forming, a method that allows us to freeze the fluid tension of fabric in motion. The result is a surface that embodies gravity and drape - just like loose cloth stretched and pulled in time.
One of the first pieces we created with this method was the Gore Design Company Desk in our Tempe, Arizona studio. Built as a two-sided workspace for myself and my office manager, the desk brought innovation into daily use. It featured copper grommets in the concrete surface for clean cable management, letting power cords and lighting integrate seamlessly into the design.
The desk was cast in our bone-colored ultra-high-performance GFRC concrete, a crystalline silica-free mix that combines strength with safety. The surface was finished with our proprietary reactive sealer, which is completely non-toxic and safe for indoor air quality. Supported by an Eames Aluminum Group base by Herman Miller, the piece blends mid-century modern design with cutting-edge concrete innovation.
This desk represents a turning point in our craft: functional furniture as living sculpture, rooted in design experimentation and built to last for generations.
Start the Story of Your Space.
Big things begin small. A note, a sketch, a thought - that’s all it takes to set something timeless in motion. Tell us what’s on your mind, and we’ll help it take shape in concrete.