Paris 2012: this collection of furniture by Japanese designers Nendo is stable only when objects are placed on it.

The table top can be cantilevered by adding sufficient objects to weigh it down.

The dependence of the furniture on its objects allows various methods of assembly.

The bookshelf can be expanded by changing the position of the top section, as long as it's stabilised by blocks in the atached box.

The doors of the cabinets can only be closed by placing objects in front, while the quality of a lamp's light is affected by pulling back its shade and keeping it in place with more blocks.

The Dependencies Collection will be presented at the Galerie Pierre-Alain Challier & Specimen Edition during MAISON&OBJET between 21.1.2012 - 3.3.2012.

The collection is on show with Specimen Editions until 3 March at Pierre Alain Chalier gallery, 8, rue Debelleyme 75003 Paris.

See all our stories about shows in Paris this week here.

Photographs are by Hiroshi Iwasaki.

Here are some more details from Nendo:

Originally, furniture was structurally complete, and served to hold books, cups and other objects placed upon it. We can say that this function was one of the most important factors in determining the form of a piece of furniture.

This collection presents pieces of 'weak furniture' that cannot stand independently until they are made structurally sound through the addition of an object. In addition to increasing stability, the accumulation of objects has other effects as well.

It can change the angle of light emitted from a lamp, or expand a bookshelf. Object dependencies is an exploration into new forms created by resetting the once-unquestioned relationship between furniture and objects.