Essentially a merging of an oval and rectangle, Danish poet/mathematician Piet Hein initially defined the “super ellipse” shape as a solution to an urban planning problem in Sweden. The year was 1959 and a new motorway was replacing Stockholm’s Sergel’s Square. Improving the efficiency of traffic through the area was crucial and Hein’s newly defined shape satisfied this need. Hein soon came to believe that the super ellipse was the most visually pleasing shape for any number of applications, including sports arenas, swimming pools and, of course, dining tables. Hein first collaborated with designer Bruno Mathsson on a line of super elliptical desks; their Super Elliptical Tables were designed for Fritz Hansen in 1968. This Super Elliptical Table seats six comfortably, but it’s even possible to squeeze a few more in at the gently rounded “corners.” Polished chrome legs support a white laminate top. This contract-quality surface is appropriate in the home or as a conference or cafeteria table. Original design and licensed manufacture by Republic of Fritz Hansen.