Science meets luxury in this levitating coffee table composed of hovering blocks that seem to magically shift back into formation when applied pressure is removed.

Like an over-sized Rubik’s Cube, the basic design is composed of a three-by-three grid of smaller wooden cubes, inexplicably (at least at a glance) separated in space. Also like its little cousin, the object is … puzzling.

The solution to the puzzle hides partly in the voids – thin wires keep each cube from flying away from the others, while powerful magnets hold the constituent pieces apart.  Effectively, The Float Table, is a matrix of “magnetized” wooden cubes that levitate with respect to one another. The repelling cubes are held in equilibrium by a system of tensile steel cables.”

The co-founders of RocketPaperRobot, creators of The Float Table, have backgrounds in robotics, electrical engineering and artificial intelligence, on the one hand, and design, film and advertising on the other. The company itself “is an engineering boutique specializing in the innovation and fabrication of high-end kinetic furniture, lighting, and installations.”

Of their work, RPR writes: “It’s classical physics applied to modern design. Each handcrafted table is precisely tuned to seem rigid and stable, yet a touch reveals the secret to Float’s dynamic character.”

And about their firm: “We relish in defying expectations through artful execution with a staunch allegiance to utility,(apparent) simplicity and technical excellence. We also work with clients to customize aesthetic yet functional products that enhance the versatility of residential/commercial spaces and celebrate the expression of unabashed style.”