Author Archives: Tanvi Joshi

Muuto’s Minimalist Chair Hides A Tiny Heart In Its Details

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There are few symbols more familiar than the heart. It appears everywhere, from children’s drawings to luxury branding, which is perhaps why designers rarely touch it. The shape carries so much cultural baggage that it can quickly slip into sentimentality.

For its twentieth anniversary, Danish furniture brand Muuto decided to take that risk! Created with Copenhagen studio Spacon, the *Close to Heart* chair debuts during 3 Days of Design as part of Muuto’s anniversary programme, *Next Chapters in Scandinavian Design*. Limited to 150 pieces and produced in Denmark from extruded aluminium, the chair transforms the heart from a graphic symbol into a structural system. Every profile used to construct the chair is shaped like a heart.

Designer: Muuto and Spacon

The project began with a clear direction from Muuto, which was to avoid nostalgia. Rather than celebrating the past, the anniversary was framed as an opportunity to explore where Scandinavian design might go next. For Spacon partners Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen, Malene Hvidt, and Svend Jacob Pedersen, that conversation led unexpectedly to the heart.

What attracted the designers was not its symbolism alone, but its geometry. A heart combines two very different formal qualities within a single shape. One side is defined by a sharp triangular point, while the other is made up of generous curves. It is a shape that feels simple at first glance, yet becomes surprisingly intricate when examined closely.

That balance between softness and precision carries through the entire chair. From a distance, the heart references are obvious. Up close, they begin to disappear into the construction, becoming part of the chair’s proportions, joints, and structure rather than decorative details.

Material selection played an equally important role. Extruded aluminium is typically associated with engineering and manufacturing efficiency, making it an unusual choice for an object built around one of culture’s most emotionally loaded symbols. Yet the designers found that the material’s characteristics aligned naturally with the concept. Its light weight and ability to accommodate smooth curves allowed the heart profile to be repeated throughout the chair without becoming visually heavy.

The anodized finish further softens the material’s appearance. Instead of presenting aluminium as hard or industrial, the treatment gives the surface a subtle depth that reacts to changing light throughout the day. Reflections become muted, colors from the surrounding environment are absorbed into the surface, and the material takes on a quieter presence.

The chair sits within a broader collaboration between Muuto and Spacon centred on the relationship between technical systems and emotional experience. Muuto’s history is rooted in innovation and manufacturing development, while Spacon’s work frequently crosses between architecture, interiors, art, and craft. Close to Heart brings those interests together in a single object.

That intersection feels particularly relevant to how Scandinavian design is evolving today. The defining values remain familiar: experimentation, material honesty, and careful craftsmanship. What is changing is the willingness to embrace stronger narratives, cultural references, and emotional expression without treating them as separate from function.

The heart, surprisingly, proved to be a useful vehicle for that discussion. What could easily have become a novelty instead became a study in proportion, material, and manufacturing. The symbolism is impossible to ignore, yet the chair succeeds because it never relies on symbolism alone.

For Muuto and Spacon, the anniversary project is less about celebrating twenty years of design history than testing where design can go next. If Close to Heart is any indication, that future may involve a little more emotion, a little more playfulness, and a willingness to find sophistication in places designers have often overlooked.

The post Muuto’s Minimalist Chair Hides A Tiny Heart In Its Details first appeared on Yanko Design.

Muuto’s Minimalist Chair Hides A Tiny Heart In Its Details

Posted on by

There are few symbols more familiar than the heart. It appears everywhere, from children’s drawings to luxury branding, which is perhaps why designers rarely touch it. The shape carries so much cultural baggage that it can quickly slip into sentimentality.

For its twentieth anniversary, Danish furniture brand Muuto decided to take that risk! Created with Copenhagen studio Spacon, the *Close to Heart* chair debuts during 3 Days of Design as part of Muuto’s anniversary programme, *Next Chapters in Scandinavian Design*. Limited to 150 pieces and produced in Denmark from extruded aluminium, the chair transforms the heart from a graphic symbol into a structural system. Every profile used to construct the chair is shaped like a heart.

Designer: Muuto and Spacon

The project began with a clear direction from Muuto, which was to avoid nostalgia. Rather than celebrating the past, the anniversary was framed as an opportunity to explore where Scandinavian design might go next. For Spacon partners Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen, Malene Hvidt, and Svend Jacob Pedersen, that conversation led unexpectedly to the heart.

What attracted the designers was not its symbolism alone, but its geometry. A heart combines two very different formal qualities within a single shape. One side is defined by a sharp triangular point, while the other is made up of generous curves. It is a shape that feels simple at first glance, yet becomes surprisingly intricate when examined closely.

That balance between softness and precision carries through the entire chair. From a distance, the heart references are obvious. Up close, they begin to disappear into the construction, becoming part of the chair’s proportions, joints, and structure rather than decorative details.

Material selection played an equally important role. Extruded aluminium is typically associated with engineering and manufacturing efficiency, making it an unusual choice for an object built around one of culture’s most emotionally loaded symbols. Yet the designers found that the material’s characteristics aligned naturally with the concept. Its light weight and ability to accommodate smooth curves allowed the heart profile to be repeated throughout the chair without becoming visually heavy.

The anodized finish further softens the material’s appearance. Instead of presenting aluminium as hard or industrial, the treatment gives the surface a subtle depth that reacts to changing light throughout the day. Reflections become muted, colors from the surrounding environment are absorbed into the surface, and the material takes on a quieter presence.

The chair sits within a broader collaboration between Muuto and Spacon centred on the relationship between technical systems and emotional experience. Muuto’s history is rooted in innovation and manufacturing development, while Spacon’s work frequently crosses between architecture, interiors, art, and craft. Close to Heart brings those interests together in a single object.

That intersection feels particularly relevant to how Scandinavian design is evolving today. The defining values remain familiar: experimentation, material honesty, and careful craftsmanship. What is changing is the willingness to embrace stronger narratives, cultural references, and emotional expression without treating them as separate from function.

The heart, surprisingly, proved to be a useful vehicle for that discussion. What could easily have become a novelty instead became a study in proportion, material, and manufacturing. The symbolism is impossible to ignore, yet the chair succeeds because it never relies on symbolism alone.

For Muuto and Spacon, the anniversary project is less about celebrating twenty years of design history than testing where design can go next. If Close to Heart is any indication, that future may involve a little more emotion, a little more playfulness, and a willingness to find sophistication in places designers have often overlooked.

The post Muuto’s Minimalist Chair Hides A Tiny Heart In Its Details first appeared on Yanko Design.

Muuto’s Minimalist Chair Hides A Tiny Heart In Its Details

Posted on by

There are few symbols more familiar than the heart. It appears everywhere, from children’s drawings to luxury branding, which is perhaps why designers rarely touch it. The shape carries so much cultural baggage that it can quickly slip into sentimentality.

For its twentieth anniversary, Danish furniture brand Muuto decided to take that risk! Created with Copenhagen studio Spacon, the *Close to Heart* chair debuts during 3 Days of Design as part of Muuto’s anniversary programme, *Next Chapters in Scandinavian Design*. Limited to 150 pieces and produced in Denmark from extruded aluminium, the chair transforms the heart from a graphic symbol into a structural system. Every profile used to construct the chair is shaped like a heart.

Designer: Muuto and Spacon

The project began with a clear direction from Muuto, which was to avoid nostalgia. Rather than celebrating the past, the anniversary was framed as an opportunity to explore where Scandinavian design might go next. For Spacon partners Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen, Malene Hvidt, and Svend Jacob Pedersen, that conversation led unexpectedly to the heart.

What attracted the designers was not its symbolism alone, but its geometry. A heart combines two very different formal qualities within a single shape. One side is defined by a sharp triangular point, while the other is made up of generous curves. It is a shape that feels simple at first glance, yet becomes surprisingly intricate when examined closely.

That balance between softness and precision carries through the entire chair. From a distance, the heart references are obvious. Up close, they begin to disappear into the construction, becoming part of the chair’s proportions, joints, and structure rather than decorative details.

Material selection played an equally important role. Extruded aluminium is typically associated with engineering and manufacturing efficiency, making it an unusual choice for an object built around one of culture’s most emotionally loaded symbols. Yet the designers found that the material’s characteristics aligned naturally with the concept. Its light weight and ability to accommodate smooth curves allowed the heart profile to be repeated throughout the chair without becoming visually heavy.

The anodized finish further softens the material’s appearance. Instead of presenting aluminium as hard or industrial, the treatment gives the surface a subtle depth that reacts to changing light throughout the day. Reflections become muted, colors from the surrounding environment are absorbed into the surface, and the material takes on a quieter presence.

The chair sits within a broader collaboration between Muuto and Spacon centred on the relationship between technical systems and emotional experience. Muuto’s history is rooted in innovation and manufacturing development, while Spacon’s work frequently crosses between architecture, interiors, art, and craft. Close to Heart brings those interests together in a single object.

That intersection feels particularly relevant to how Scandinavian design is evolving today. The defining values remain familiar: experimentation, material honesty, and careful craftsmanship. What is changing is the willingness to embrace stronger narratives, cultural references, and emotional expression without treating them as separate from function.

The heart, surprisingly, proved to be a useful vehicle for that discussion. What could easily have become a novelty instead became a study in proportion, material, and manufacturing. The symbolism is impossible to ignore, yet the chair succeeds because it never relies on symbolism alone.

For Muuto and Spacon, the anniversary project is less about celebrating twenty years of design history than testing where design can go next. If Close to Heart is any indication, that future may involve a little more emotion, a little more playfulness, and a willingness to find sophistication in places designers have often overlooked.

The post Muuto’s Minimalist Chair Hides A Tiny Heart In Its Details first appeared on Yanko Design.

Muuto’s Minimalist Chair Hides A Tiny Heart In Its Details

Posted on by

There are few symbols more familiar than the heart. It appears everywhere, from children’s drawings to luxury branding, which is perhaps why designers rarely touch it. The shape carries so much cultural baggage that it can quickly slip into sentimentality.

For its twentieth anniversary, Danish furniture brand Muuto decided to take that risk! Created with Copenhagen studio Spacon, the *Close to Heart* chair debuts during 3 Days of Design as part of Muuto’s anniversary programme, *Next Chapters in Scandinavian Design*. Limited to 150 pieces and produced in Denmark from extruded aluminium, the chair transforms the heart from a graphic symbol into a structural system. Every profile used to construct the chair is shaped like a heart.

Designer: Muuto and Spacon

The project began with a clear direction from Muuto, which was to avoid nostalgia. Rather than celebrating the past, the anniversary was framed as an opportunity to explore where Scandinavian design might go next. For Spacon partners Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen, Malene Hvidt, and Svend Jacob Pedersen, that conversation led unexpectedly to the heart.

What attracted the designers was not its symbolism alone, but its geometry. A heart combines two very different formal qualities within a single shape. One side is defined by a sharp triangular point, while the other is made up of generous curves. It is a shape that feels simple at first glance, yet becomes surprisingly intricate when examined closely.

That balance between softness and precision carries through the entire chair. From a distance, the heart references are obvious. Up close, they begin to disappear into the construction, becoming part of the chair’s proportions, joints, and structure rather than decorative details.

Material selection played an equally important role. Extruded aluminium is typically associated with engineering and manufacturing efficiency, making it an unusual choice for an object built around one of culture’s most emotionally loaded symbols. Yet the designers found that the material’s characteristics aligned naturally with the concept. Its light weight and ability to accommodate smooth curves allowed the heart profile to be repeated throughout the chair without becoming visually heavy.

The anodized finish further softens the material’s appearance. Instead of presenting aluminium as hard or industrial, the treatment gives the surface a subtle depth that reacts to changing light throughout the day. Reflections become muted, colors from the surrounding environment are absorbed into the surface, and the material takes on a quieter presence.

The chair sits within a broader collaboration between Muuto and Spacon centred on the relationship between technical systems and emotional experience. Muuto’s history is rooted in innovation and manufacturing development, while Spacon’s work frequently crosses between architecture, interiors, art, and craft. Close to Heart brings those interests together in a single object.

That intersection feels particularly relevant to how Scandinavian design is evolving today. The defining values remain familiar: experimentation, material honesty, and careful craftsmanship. What is changing is the willingness to embrace stronger narratives, cultural references, and emotional expression without treating them as separate from function.

The heart, surprisingly, proved to be a useful vehicle for that discussion. What could easily have become a novelty instead became a study in proportion, material, and manufacturing. The symbolism is impossible to ignore, yet the chair succeeds because it never relies on symbolism alone.

For Muuto and Spacon, the anniversary project is less about celebrating twenty years of design history than testing where design can go next. If Close to Heart is any indication, that future may involve a little more emotion, a little more playfulness, and a willingness to find sophistication in places designers have often overlooked.

The post Muuto’s Minimalist Chair Hides A Tiny Heart In Its Details first appeared on Yanko Design.

Award-Winning Modular Lamp Turns Discarded Eggshells Into Sculptural Lighting

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Joanne Odisho’s Mod-u lamp feels like the kind of object you want to touch before you fully understand what it is. Made from modular, Jenga-like blocks, the lamp sits somewhere between lighting, furniture, and sculpture. The surprise is its material. The Melbourne-based designer has created the piece using thousands of discarded eggshells collected from local cafes, turning a fragile everyday waste material into a durable, tactile, award-winning design.

The process starts in a very ordinary place: cafe kitchens. Odisho collects used eggshells, sterilises them, dries them, and crushes them into a fine powder using a Nutribullet. The powdered shells are then mixed with a biodegradable biopolymer to form a wet, sand-like composite. This mixture is poured into moulds and left to dry naturally for about a week. There is no firing process, no synthetic dye, and no complex industrial setup. Once cured, the material becomes hard and rock-like, while still holding onto the soft, natural tones of the eggshells themselves.

Designer: Joanne Odisho

The idea began in 2022 while Odisho was studying furniture design at RMIT. For a school assignment, she was asked to create a product using food waste. Her first experiments with coffee grounds did not work because they developed mould. Eggshells, however, offered something more promising. With inspiration from Materiom, an organisation focused on nature-based material innovation, she began testing how this overlooked kitchen scrap could become a strong, compostable design material.

That material eventually became Mod-u, a collection of configurable lighting pieces made from dozens of individual eggshell-composite blocks. Each block can be moved, rotated, stacked, and rearranged, allowing the lamp to shift between a table lamp, a floor lamp, or a sculptural feature piece. This makes the design especially relevant for smaller homes, where objects often need to adapt to different spaces and uses.

The lamp recently won the Australian Furniture Design Award, one of the country’s most respected design prizes. The award, led by Stylecraft and presented with the National Gallery of Victoria during Melbourne Design Week, challenged designers to respond to the theme “living well, living small.” Odisho’s lamp answered that brief with a balance of function, material experimentation, and emotional appeal.

What impressed the judges was not just the use of eggshells, but the way the object invites interaction. Mod-u is not a lamp that simply sits in the corner and performs one fixed role. Its modular structure gives the user control over its form. It can be built up, pulled apart, shifted, and reimagined depending on the room, the mood, or the need. That sense of play gives the piece a rare warmth. It feels practical, but still personal.

There is also something quietly powerful about the way the lamp treats waste. The eggshells are not disguised or hidden under a polished finish. Their natural colour remains visible, giving each piece a soft, earthy palette that feels honest to the material. It makes the object feel less manufactured and more grown, even though it is carefully designed.

For Odisho, the project opens up a much bigger conversation about what sustainable furniture can look and feel like. It does not rely on guilt or overly technical language to make its point. Instead, it offers a simple idea: the materials we throw away every day might still have value, beauty, and strength left in them.

Mod-u succeeds because it feels experimental without being inaccessible. It is clever, but not cold. Sustainable, but not preachy. By turning something as delicate as an eggshell into a strong and adaptable object for the home, Joanne Odisho shows how thoughtful design can begin with the most ordinary leftovers.

The post Award-Winning Modular Lamp Turns Discarded Eggshells Into Sculptural Lighting first appeared on Yanko Design.

Stoa Turns Chess Into Quiet Architecture for the Modern Home

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Chess has always been a game of structure, strategy, and symbolism. The pieces carry centuries of visual language: the authority of the King, the movement of the Knight, the strength of the Rook, the quiet repetition of the Pawns. Many chess sets lean into that history through ornament, carving, and decorative detail. Stoa takes a different path. It looks at the same familiar game and asks what can be simplified without losing meaning.

Inspired by Scandinavian design principles, Stoa is shaped by clarity, balance, and calm visual expression. Its forms are clean, architectural, and restrained, giving the set a quiet presence that feels natural in modern interiors. The pieces do not feel overly decorative or nostalgic. They feel composed, almost like small spatial objects arranged across a board. This gives Stoa a visual language that is contemporary, but still deeply connected to the traditions of chess.

Designer: Fabian Haydt

The strength of the design lies in its balance between reduction and recognition. Each piece is simplified to its essential geometry, yet remains easy to identify during play. This is an important distinction. Minimal chess sets can sometimes become so abstract that they ask too much from the player. Stoa avoids that by treating simplicity as a careful design decision rather than a visual shortcut. The King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, and Pawn each have their own identity, but none of them rely on unnecessary detail to communicate their role.

That clarity matters because chess is a game of focus. A player should be able to read the board quickly, understand the position of each piece, and make decisions without visual distraction. Stoa supports that experience through uncluttered forms and restrained proportions. The pieces are easy to recognize, comfortable to hold, and stable on the board. Their visual calmness allows attention to stay on the game itself.

The Knight becomes one of the most interesting moments in the set. In traditional chess design, the Knight is often the most expressive piece, usually represented by a horse’s head. Reducing that form into a minimal object while keeping its character intact is a difficult challenge. Stoa handles it through proportion, silhouette, and a subtle sense of personality. It does not imitate the traditional Knight literally, but it preserves enough of its identity to make the piece immediately understandable.

Materiality adds another layer of refinement. Each piece is CNC-machined from solid recycled aluminum, giving the set a precise and durable foundation. After machining, the surfaces are polished and treated with fine glass bead-blasting to achieve a uniform matte texture. The pieces are then anodized for durability. This process gives Stoa a soft, premium finish that feels controlled rather than flashy.

The tactile experience is equally considered. Internal brass weights give the pieces a grounded feel, while leather pads on the bases provide stability and protect the board surface. These details make each move feel deliberate and satisfying. The weight, touch, and surface finish all contribute to a more immersive playing experience. Nothing feels accidental. Every material choice supports both function and atmosphere.

The proportions are compact and precise. The King stands at 68 mm, followed by the Queen at 62 mm, Bishop at 58 mm, Knight at 52 mm, Rook at 47 mm, and Pawn at 32 mm. The board measures 280 mm by 280 mm. This scale gives the set a refined presence without overwhelming the space around it. It can sit comfortably in a living room, study, or studio, carrying the elegance of a design object while remaining fully playable.

The development process focused on refining visual clarity, balance, and ergonomics. Multiple prototype stages helped test how the pieces felt in the hand and how quickly players could recognize them during faster gameplay. The challenge was not simply to make chess look minimal. It was to preserve the logic of the game while reducing each piece to a cleaner, more contemporary form. That required careful iteration, especially in maintaining distinction between pieces with similar proportions.

What remains is a chess set that feels calm, tactile, and quietly luxurious. Stoa brings a centuries-old game into a modern design language without disconnecting it from its roots. It respects tradition by understanding it, then translates that tradition through geometry, material precision, and visual discipline. The result is a set that feels made for contemporary life: thoughtful enough to admire, clear enough to play, and restrained enough to last.

The post Stoa Turns Chess Into Quiet Architecture for the Modern Home first appeared on Yanko Design.

Oberhauserer’s Balloon Lamp Makes Concrete Feel Surprisingly Weightless

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Outdoor lighting is usually seen as something practical. It lights up a pathway, softens a garden, marks an entrance, or creates a mood after dark. Oberhauserer’s Balloon takes that familiar idea and pushes it into a more experimental space. Designed by Martin Oberhauser, the lamp brings together concrete, light, and digital manufacturing in a way that feels surprisingly poetic. It has the presence of a sculptural object, but it still belongs naturally in outdoor spaces.

The most interesting part of the lamp begins with its production method. Oberhauserer’s Balloon is made using powder bed concrete 3D printing, also known as Selective Paste Intrusion, or SPI. In this process, cement paste is injected into a powder bed only where the structure needs to form. The lamp is built gradually, layer by layer, allowing the final shape to emerge with a level of detail and complexity that would be difficult to achieve through traditional concrete casting.

Designer: Oberhauser’s Ballon

This process removes the need for conventional formwork, which is one of the biggest limitations in concrete design. Traditional molds can restrict the shape of an object, especially when the geometry becomes more detailed or organic. SPI gives the designer more freedom to explore curved forms, softer surfaces, and intricate details without being limited by the mold-making process. This freedom is what gives Oberhauserer’s Balloon its distinctive character.

The lamp plays with a beautiful contradiction. Concrete is usually associated with heaviness, buildings, and permanence. A balloon suggests lightness, air, and softness. Bringing those two ideas together makes the object feel unexpected. The form looks rounded and almost inflated, even though it is made from cement. That contrast gives the lamp a quiet charm. It does not try to disguise the material. Instead, it shows how concrete can feel softer, more atmospheric, and more expressive than we usually expect.

Oberhauserer’s Balloon is available in three sizes: 30 cm, 70 cm, and 100 cm in diameter. Each size changes how the lamp interacts with a space. The 30 cm version can work as a small accent in a garden, terrace, or along a walkway. The 70 cm version has a stronger visual presence and can suit courtyards, hospitality spaces, and residential landscapes. The 100 cm version becomes a bold installation piece, shaping the atmosphere around it while still functioning as a source of light.

The largest version is especially impressive. With a diameter of 100 cm, it is described as the largest known 3D-printed lamp made from cement. This makes the project more than a beautiful outdoor luminaire. It becomes an example of how far 3D concrete printing can be pushed. What could have remained a small material experiment has been developed into a durable, full-scale lighting product.

The material itself is designed for outdoor use, with high weather resistance that allows the lamp to withstand changing environmental conditions. This durability makes Oberhauserer’s Balloon suitable for gardens, terraces, public landscapes, and architectural outdoor settings. Its strength does not take away from its visual softness. Instead, the lamp balances permanence with atmosphere, making it feel grounded during the day and quietly luminous at night.

The production method also supports a more sustainable approach to manufacturing. Since 3D concrete printing places material only where it is needed, it helps reduce waste and makes material use more efficient. The absence of traditional formwork also cuts down on excess production materials. This gives the lamp a smaller ecological footprint while still allowing for a high level of design detail.

Oberhauserer’s Balloon feels like a glimpse into where lighting design is heading. It shows how technology can create forms that feel warmer, more expressive, and more human when handled with sensitivity. The lamp carries the strength of concrete, the precision of digital fabrication, and the softness of glowing light. In outdoor spaces, it becomes less like an object placed in the landscape and more like a calm presence within it.

The post Oberhauserer’s Balloon Lamp Makes Concrete Feel Surprisingly Weightless first appeared on Yanko Design.

A House In London Where Floors Drop, Walls Vanish, and the Garden Moves In

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Many homes treat the garden as something separate from daily life, something to look at through a window or visit when the weather is good. This house in Hampstead, redesigned by MATA Architects, takes a far more connected approach. Created for a family with teenage children, the project focuses on transforming the lower ground floor and rethinking how the house relates to its south-facing garden. Rather than adding space for the sake of it, the redesign improves the way the home is lived in and how each room connects to the outdoors.

Before the renovation, the house sat well above the garden, with a long staircase creating a clear sense of separation between inside and outside. The architects solved this by bringing the main living spaces closer to the landscape. The new extension steps almost a meter lower than the original level, placing the family rooms directly alongside the garden. This simple shift changes everything. The ceilings feel taller, natural light reaches deeper into the interior, and the garden becomes part of everyday life instead of feeling like a separate area at the bottom of the plot.

Designer: MATA Architects

The surrounding trees played a major role in shaping the design. Because of root protection zones, the footprint of the extension had to be carefully planned. Instead of forcing a standard solution onto the site, the architects allowed these constraints to guide the final form. That careful response gives the project a sense of balance, as though it belongs naturally within its setting.

The materials help reinforce that feeling. The exterior is wrapped in hit-and-miss iroko hardwood battens, which add texture and warmth while softening the lines of the new addition. Above, a tapering roof stretches outward to provide shade during warmer months. Its underside is finished in mirror-polished stainless steel, reflecting the trees and sky overhead. It is a subtle detail, but an effective one, helping the roof feel lighter and less dominant in the garden.

The standout feature is the fully glazed corner facing the terrace. Large sliding glass panels meet without a visible support, allowing the corner to open completely when the doors are pulled back. When open, the living room flows straight onto the terrace and into the garden beyond. When closed, the glazing still maintains clear views and fills the interior with daylight. It is the kind of feature that looks impressive, but it also genuinely improves how the house works.

Inside, the lowered living room sits at the heart of the extension. The slight change in floor level helps define the area within the open plan layout without the need for walls. Full-height glazing keeps the space bright throughout the day, while views of greenery are visible from almost every angle. Built-in timber shelving adds warmth and prevents the room from feeling too minimal or exposed. It also provides useful storage and gives the living area a stronger sense of identity.

Dinesen ash flooring runs throughout the interior, creating continuity and a calm, natural base for the spaces above it. In the kitchen, a large island in Bianco Eclipse quartzite acts as both a working surface and a gathering point. Positioned centrally, it allows clear views across the living room and out to the garden, helping the kitchen feel connected to the rest of the home.

Next to it, the dining area brings a slightly more intimate atmosphere. A wood-lined alcove, fireplace, and built-in bar make it equally suited to family dinners or hosting friends. Smaller spaces have been given the same level of attention. The powder room features a sculptural stone sink, combining rough texture with clean detailing, softened by warm timber and subtle lighting.

The private rooms continue the same thoughtful approach. The primary suite combines sleeping, working, and bathing in one cohesive space, complete with an integrated study area and an ensuite with a timber soaking tub, concrete sinks, and stainless steel fittings. Another bedroom includes its own fireplace, adding warmth and character.

What makes this home successful is that every design decision feels purposeful. Nothing is there just to impress. By lowering the main rooms and opening them fully to the garden, MATA Architects have turned a once disconnected outdoor space into the natural center of the home.

The post A House In London Where Floors Drop, Walls Vanish, and the Garden Moves In first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Chair Turns Fragmented Structure Into Ergonomic Support

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Aerise is a seating concept that reimagines how structure, support, and movement can coexist within furniture design. Seating has long followed rigid forms and familiar construction systems, where stability is often achieved through heavy frames and static surfaces. Aerise challenges this conventional approach by introducing segmentation as a more fluid and adaptive method of support. Instead of treating seating as a singular fixed structure, the project explores how interconnected elements can work together to create a system that feels lighter, more responsive, and visually dynamic while still maintaining ergonomic comfort and stability.

The project began with an exploration into the relationship between structure and the human body. Seating is one of the most familiar objects in everyday life, yet its design is deeply influenced by posture, proportion, material behavior, and the way the body interacts with support systems over extended periods of time. Aerise investigates what happens when structure is no longer viewed as a rigid shell, but rather as a collection of coordinated parts working together in balance. This shift transforms the chair from a static object into a more fluid system that adapts visually and functionally to the body’s natural posture.

Designer: Dhruvisha Shah

The primary inspiration for the project came from the dragonfly and the unique characteristics of its segmented exoskeleton. Despite its lightweight form, the dragonfly demonstrates exceptional control, precision, and agility in movement. Its body is composed of interconnected sections that provide both strength and flexibility simultaneously, allowing the insect to move with remarkable balance and efficiency. Aerise draws from these principles and translates them into a seating system that embodies similar qualities of controlled support and visual lightness.

This inspiration is most clearly reflected in the chair’s segmented backrest. Rather than relying on a continuous solid surface, the backrest is divided into repeated modular elements that function together as a cohesive support system. Each segment corresponds to different zones of the spine, creating targeted areas of support while collectively forming a fluid and uninterrupted silhouette. This modular arrangement introduces a rhythmic visual language that echoes the structure of the dragonfly’s body while also enhancing ergonomic responsiveness.

The flowing geometry of the chair further reinforces this sense of continuity and movement. Soft curves guide the body naturally into a reclined posture, allowing the seating experience to feel intuitive and relaxed rather than forced or rigid. The reclined angle was carefully considered to balance comfort with structural integrity, ensuring that the chair maintains a stable presence while still appearing visually lightweight. This sense of suspension is amplified by the minimal framework and elevated form, giving the chair an almost floating quality despite its structural strength.

The leg positioning also plays an important role in translating the dragonfly’s balanced alignment into furniture form. Angled supports create stability while maintaining a sense of openness beneath the chair, preventing the structure from appearing heavy or grounded. These subtle details contribute to the overall perception of lightness and precision that defines Aerise as a concept.

At its core, Aerise explores segmentation not simply as an aesthetic gesture, but as a functional support strategy. Each individual element contributes independently to the user’s comfort while simultaneously operating as part of a larger interconnected system. The chair demonstrates how fragmented structures can still create cohesion, and how flexibility and stability do not need to exist in opposition. Through this approach, Aerise proposes a new perspective on seating design, one where support is adaptive, structure feels fluid, and visual lightness becomes an integral part of the experience rather than just a stylistic choice.

By drawing from the natural intelligence of biological systems, Aerise transforms the principles of segmentation, balance, and exoskeletal construction into a refined seating concept that feels both contemporary and intuitive. It is an exploration of how nature-inspired structures can influence not only the appearance of furniture, but also the way it supports and interacts with the human body.

The post This Chair Turns Fragmented Structure Into Ergonomic Support first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Tissue Box Sinks With Every Pull Like a Quiet Hourglass

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Most tissue boxes are designed to be used, emptied, and thrown away. They sit quietly on tables, counters, bedside units, office desks, and bathroom shelves, becoming part of daily life for a short period before adding to another cycle of packaging waste. The cardboard box, printed surface, plastic slit, and disposable structure may seem insignificant on their own, but repeated across homes, hotels, offices, cafés, and public spaces, they create a steady stream of unnecessary material waste.

Reusable tissue boxes offer a more thoughtful alternative. They allow people to refill tissues without discarding the entire outer container each time. They also give the object a more permanent place within the interior environment. Instead of relying on whatever printed packaging comes with a tissue brand, a reusable holder can be chosen to match the mood, material palette, and aesthetic of a space. It can blend into a calm bedroom, add warmth to a living room, or sit neatly within a carefully designed hospitality setting.

Designer: NAATO studio and The oom

Yet many reusable tissue holders still carry the same structural limitation as disposable boxes. They are made for a fixed size and fixed volume. When the tissue stack is full, the object works well. As the stack reduces, the tissues begin to sink lower inside the container. The user has to reach further in; the sheets may fold or get caught, and the holder often needs to be refilled before the tissues are truly finished. The object remains static even though the contents inside are constantly changing.

OOM-04 responds to this small but familiar frustration with a quieter, more sensitive design language. Created as the (OOM).04_TISSUE CLAMP by Naato Studio, the product changes with the tissue stack rather than forcing the tissues to fit inside a rigid box. As the tissues are used, the lid gradually sinks with them. The two parenthesis-like shells shift around the remaining stack, allowing the form to visually and physically register the passage of use.

This simple movement turns an ordinary household action into something more poetic. Reaching for a tissue becomes a small moment of awareness. The object behaves almost like an hourglass, softly marking time through depletion rather than through numbers or mechanisms. Each tissue taken changes the object slightly. The holder becomes a visible record of use, care, and routine.

There is a quiet emotional quality in that gesture. Tissues are often used in moments that are intimate or human: wiping a tear, cleaning a spill, caring for someone who is unwell, preparing for the day, removing makeup, or managing a small mess. OOM-04 gives dignity to this everyday object by making it responsive instead of invisible. It does not hide use. It lets us become part of the design.

The product belongs to Naato Studio’s “Changing Entity” collection, which explores objects that can evolve over time. The Tissue Clamp is made from two modular shells that can be repaired, reused, and reconfigured. This extends its life beyond a single function. The same parts can eventually be transformed into other objects, such as stools, shelving, or even a lamp. The design is built around the idea that an object should not become waste once its first purpose is complete.

This approach makes sustainability feel less like a sacrifice and more like continuity. OOM-04 does not ask the user to give up beauty, tactility, or interior harmony in order to make a better environmental choice. It offers a sculptural, material-led object that can sit comfortably in a designed space while also reducing reliance on disposable packaging. Its form feels calm, intentional, and adaptable.

OOM-04 feels like the kind of object that earns its place in a room. It is useful, beautiful, and just unusual enough to make someone pause. The design fixes the practical frustration of tissues getting stuck while also giving the object a quiet sense of movement. It turns a disposable household habit into something slower, smarter, and worth keeping.

The post This Tissue Box Sinks With Every Pull Like a Quiet Hourglass first appeared on Yanko Design.