Architecture is not only about designing spaces but also about shaping the ways people come together within them. Assistant Professor Sergio Lopez-Pineiro recently designed a distinctive table for civil dialogue, an elegant piece of furniture created to bring people into closer, more intentional conversation.
The table was fabricated by Master of Architecture student Alec Regan with support from Current Projects, a Milwaukee-based design and fabrication studio.
Conceived as a comfortable space for discussion and understanding, the table is a critical element in an ongoing civil dialogue project supported by a grant from the Wisconsin Institute for Citizenship and Civil Dialogue (WICCD) to the UWM Divisions of Community Empowerment & Institutional Inclusivity and Student Affairs.
Crafted from soft maple wood, the table’s form invites connection. It bends around each speaker, “hugging” them into the conversation while its angled steel legs emphasize the seats designed for each participant.
The tabletop’s central area features a subtle Naguri texture, a traditional Japanese woodcutting pattern applied here through a combination of handmade and digital techniques. The textured surface literally and figuratively preserves space for dialogue.
“This prevents people from placing objects at the center,” said Sergio Lopez-Pineiro. “The space in front of you remains empty of objects, so the conversation remains more uninterrupted.”
Every detail of the table’s design supports comfort and focus. Smaller scoops in front of each seat, along with additional indentations beneath the table, offer resting places for fidgeting hands and help calm nerves during potentially difficult conversations.
“It is normal to feel nervous,” the project description notes. “Just let your fingertips rest and focus on staying civil.”
Now housed in the UWM Student Union, the table is available for reservation by students, faculty and staff. By defining a physical space for discussion, Lopez-Pineiro’s design reinforces that civil dialogue can and should be cultivated, taught, and practiced.
“The important thing isn’t the table; it’s just a device,” Lopez-Pineiro said. “The important thing is that people bring their own points of view.”
Story by Oliver J. Johnson