Tag Archives: Chair

Artistic unibody chair concept is simple, stackable, and stunning

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All chairs have a common, standard purpose, but there is no hard rule to follow when it comes to their design. As long as they offer a stable seating surface, and in most cases, some form of back support, they qualify as an acceptable piece of furniture, even if the actual experience can be a bit uncomfortable at times. It’s only by convention, for example, that most chairs have four legs or are made of different pieces, and some designs try to push the boundaries of what’s physically possible when it comes to the composition and form of chairs. This concept, for example, does away with the standard makeup of this kind of furniture and instead embraces a single flowing form that, surprisingly enough, works just as well in terms of practical use.

Designer: Deniz Aktay

Bending a single sheet of material, be it metal or plastic, into a less trivial form isn’t exactly easy, especially when you have to make sure that it is stable enough to sit on. You need not only balance but structural integrity as well since it will be something that humans expect to be safe to use. Some designs tend to overcomplicate things to meet those goals, but this chair concept goes in the completely opposite direction with its extreme simplicity.

Named after the last Greek alphabet, the Omega design concept simply takes a single folded sheet of material and bends it at the sides and back to create the two wide legs and backrest of the chair. There are no sharp angles in this design, giving the seamless form a smoother and more organic appearance. While it is aesthetically pleasing, it isn’t just an art piece, and at least based on the concept, it is just as functional as your stereotypical four-legged plastic chair.

In particular, the design of the Omega chair allows it to be stacked together, rather unexpected given its nontrivial shape. It doesn’t even take up more space than most stackable chairs, which makes the design practical for widespread production and use. It definitely offers an interesting alternative to common mass-produced designs as it offers both a compact shape as well as an attractive appearance.

On the surface, the Omega design also looks sturdy, with the legs angled inward to cover a bigger surface area than a normal straight edge. There might, however, be some concerns with the comfort of the seat itself, as the curved sides could make some slide off too easily. The backrest might also be too short for comfort, with the top edge digging into people’s backs when they lean backward. Nonetheless, it’s a beautiful and simple design that could be improved on for an even more comfortable and ergonomic experience.

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Meta approved Roto VR chair rotates with your head movements to makes gameplay immersive

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Like with other simulators, motion sickness – leading to dizziness and nausea – is common in VR. Some people get uncomfortable when they don a headset and dive into virtual reality.  This is because the brain essentially gets disturbed while you stand still and the environment around you moves. This disturbance in brain equilibrium means you begin feeling nauseous or dizzy.

London-based Roto VR is ready to change the game for someone who feels the symptoms with the introduction of a motorized Explorer chair that rotates with the movement of the VR user’s head, making sure there is no indecisive movement in the environment, which the brain cannot register and begins to trigger nausea. Chair intends to make the virtual environment more immersive and less distorting!

Designer: Roto VR

This is a major piece of VR furniture that matches real-world movements with that of the headset. Of course, then it requires a headset to function and would take up a lot of space in your home. But it is significant for all of us who desire complete physical transportation into the virtual world, which is far and above what the headsets have to offer even after evolving rapidly in the last few years.

World’s first interactive VR chair, the Roto VR Explorer, is a sophisticated motion device that provides haptic feedback to the body. The chair looks pretty ordinary until you gawk at its round base integrated with an electric motor. This base rotates the chair 360-degrees at up to 21 revolutions per minute (though the speed matches the intensity and speed of the user’s head). Slow head movement, equally slow rotation, and the faster the movement, the quicker it spins until reaching the top speed.

The chair spins in the direction of the head of the user with a Meta Quest headset on. The head strap of the Quest is attached to a dedicated Roto head tracker, which can capture the motion and head movement for precise motion tracking. Interestingly, the Roto VR Explorer chair is provided with the “Made for Meta” stamp, substantiating that the device is authorized by Meta and meets all industry standards. That said, the rotation of the chair is triggered by the motion sensing tracker attached to the headset, which suggests that the chair can be used with other headsets as well and there is no rigidity despite that Meta earmarking.

The Roto VR Explorer chair is attached with two pedals – right above its base – for running simulation. Of course, the chair does not vouch to eliminate motion sickness entirely; VR users will still experience nausea moving back and forth. If you think, the chair deserves a chance in your VR environment, you can now preorder it at £799. Delivery will begin in October 2024.

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Heart-shaped chair brings organic lines into a functional chair

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When it comes to choosing a chair for my apartment (and I’ve had several over the years), I will almost always choose one that is comfortable enough to sit in for a long period of time. That’s because I do a lot of sitting, whether for work or my down time. So I end up with a bean bag or a couch type of chair for my reading, watching, and working comfort. But of course there are a lot of well-designed chairs that can look at home in a museum or are really well thought of, even if they don’t seem to be the most comfortable place to sit in.

Designer: Woocheol Shin

The Heart Chair seems to be one of those kinds of chairs, although it probably looks a bit comfortable and homey as well the way it’s designed. Its name comes from the inspiration for the design as it has a heart-shaped silhouette (the art kind of heart and not the biological). It actually extends beyond the usual vertical and horizontal lines, “subtly breaking its implicit harmony”.

Although the flowing, organic lines makes it look more like an art piece than an actual chair, they designed it in a way that a human body is draped over the lines. They envisioned these organic lines blending into the straight-line spaces, achieving “optimal synchronization. Supposedly, you get less tension by sitting on this compared to the usual rigid chairs you can find in public spaces.

Chairs that are both functional and aesthetic are always a plus point in my book. Now if I can sit on it for hours without hurting my back, legs, or other parts of my anatomy, then it is even more of a winner and is something I’d want to add to my space.

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Polycarbonate plastic chair can be turned into side table

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People have different tastes when it comes to furniture, even something as functional as chairs. There are those that look for comfort while there are those that just want something they can sit on when working. There are people who look for highly aesthetic chairs that can fit into their space while there are those that like to look for more experimental kind of chairs.

Designer Name: Liam de la Beyodere

If you’re the last kind of person, this chair concept might be right up your alley. The Push Fit Chair uses frosted injection-moulded polycarbonate plastic for its parts. When you push them together and assemble it, you get a chair that sports a crystal-clear aesthetic. The idea is for light and colors to flow through the chair and lets it cast different patterns and shapes on nearby surfaces.

You can also remove the backrest part of the chair if you want to just have a stool type of furniture. You can also put the backrest on the side so you get a side table along with your chair. There is also space under where you can store items like books and knick knacks. If you put the full chair with the chair/side table together, then you have a more complete set.

Chairs made from polycarbonate plastic may not seem the most comfortable but based on the renders, you get something really pleasing to the eyes. And of course, we love multi-functional and modular things here, so that’s another bonus fro the Push Fit Chair.

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Polycarbonate plastic chair can be turned into side table

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People have different tastes when it comes to furniture, even something as functional as chairs. There are those that look for comfort while there are those that just want something they can sit on when working. There are people who look for highly aesthetic chairs that can fit into their space while there are those that like to look for more experimental kind of chairs.

Designer Name: Liam de la Beyodere

If you’re the last kind of person, this chair concept might be right up your alley. The Push Fit Chair uses frosted injection-moulded polycarbonate plastic for its parts. When you push them together and assemble it, you get a chair that sports a crystal-clear aesthetic. The idea is for light and colors to flow through the chair and lets it cast different patterns and shapes on nearby surfaces.

You can also remove the backrest part of the chair if you want to just have a stool type of furniture. You can also put the backrest on the side so you get a side table along with your chair. There is also space under where you can store items like books and knick knacks. If you put the full chair with the chair/side table together, then you have a more complete set.

Chairs made from polycarbonate plastic may not seem the most comfortable but based on the renders, you get something really pleasing to the eyes. And of course, we love multi-functional and modular things here, so that’s another bonus fro the Push Fit Chair.

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Why most chairs are outdated and Secretlab’s take on a good design for modern ergonomics

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The rise of remote work has drastically changed our workspaces. The boundaries between work and play have blurred, and modern hybrid workers switch seamlessly from spreadsheets to gaming to Netflix—all from the same setup. Yet, when you think of an ergonomic chair, a mesh design like Herman Miller’s Aeron probably comes to mind. These chairs developed in the 1970s have become synonymous with corporate offices worldwide. However, is it time for us to consider other options?

Designer: Vincent Sin, Head of Industrial Design

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Historical Context and Evolution of Ergonomic Chairs

The journey of ergonomic design began in the 1970s with chairs like the Herman Miller Aeron, which quickly became the gold standard for office seating.

Everyday workers rarely gave much thought to their sitting habits. Their typical workday meant long hours at the desk with minimal movement. Conversations about sitting often focused on achieving the perfect posture.

The rise of the tech industry and the shift to remote work blurred the lines between work and leisure. As work environments evolved, the need for more dynamic seating became clear. A good chair shouldn’t just do one thing — they must support everything from long hours of sitting to more relaxed, casual postures, no matter what you’re doing at the desk.

One company is leading this shift forward, recognizing the need for modern ergonomic solutions that meet the diverse needs of today.

The Evolution of Ergonomic Seating

Secretlab was founded in 2014 by Ian Ang and Alaric Choo, both avid gamers and StarCraft II professionals. Their journey began out of personal necessity— they needed chairs that could support their extensive practice sessions, often lasting up to 16 hours a day. Existing market options fell short of providing the required comfort and durability. This gap inspired them to design their own solution, leading to the creation of a new standard in seating.

The success of these designs among professional gamers brought Secretlab into the spotlight, but the company’s dedication to ergonomic science and high-quality materials also quickly expanded their user base beyond just the gaming community.

Today, Secretlab chairs are trusted by over 3 million users worldwide, reflecting their commitment to excellence. Despite its roots in designing chairs for esports players, the flagship chair, the Secretlab TITAN Evo, is making significant inroads into spaces traditionally dominated by mesh office chairs. From global esports stages to home offices and corporate boardrooms, it is fast becoming a top pick for anyone needing an ergonomic chair that can support long hours of sitting.

The appeal of the Secretlab TITAN Evo extends to a diverse range of users, including some of the most distinguished figures in various fields. Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer, is among its users, having scored his iconic scores in movies like “Dune” and “Top Gun: Maverick” in the comfort of a Secretlab TITAN Evo chair in his studio. Similarly, World No. 1 chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen has also adopted the Secretlab TITAN Evo, further highlighting its versatility and appeal.

The Secretlab Difference

What sets these chairs apart in a crowded market? While the Secretlab TITAN Evo might resemble other gaming chairs at first glance, a deeper inspection reveals significant differences. Every design choice is informed by extensive real-world data on how people actually sit. This commitment to evidence-based design is bolstered by collaborations with leading ergonomic experts and regular consultations with an independent Ergonomics Advisory Board to refine their products.

Central to their philosophy is the understanding that the human body is not meant to remain in a single, static posture for prolonged periods. Conversely, traditional ergonomic chairs often emphasize one “optimal” posture, which can lead to muscle and soft tissue strain over time.

Dr. Stuart McGill, professor emeritus at the University of Waterloo and a foremost authority on back pain, underscores this point. “Tissue loads must be migrated from tissue to tissue to minimize the risk of any single tissue accumulating microtrauma. This is accomplished by changing posture,” he explains.

Its proprietary pebble seat base exemplifies this philosophy. It features gently sloping sides that guide users towards the center for balanced pressure distribution while still allowing freedom to sit in various positions—whether leaning to one side or sitting cross-legged.

In comparison, most gaming chairs adopt a far more restrictive bucket seat design inspired by racing seats. These designs work well in race cars to help drivers remain snug and secure in their seats when racing at 220 mph, but they have no place in ergonomic chairs, says Secretlab.

Instead, they prioritize flexibility, allowing users to transition between different tasks and postures effortlessly.

Settling the Debate: Mesh vs. Foam in Chair Design

The choice of upholstery materials plays a critical role in chair comfort and support. While mesh is favored for its breathability, foam offers substantial support, particularly for extended use.

Research from the University of California, Berkeley, found no significant differences between foam and mesh in terms of comfort, pain, and fatigue. However, participants reported finding foam chairs more supportive over long hours, with better pressure distribution.

That said, not all foam is created equal. Secretlab engineered their own patent-pending cold-cure foam to provide uniform weight distribution and consistent density. They cured their foam at lower temperatures, resulting in a medium-firm texture that resists sagging and reduces strain on the back. By ensuring even pressure distribution, it enhances long-term comfort, making it a strong contender against traditional mesh.

Mesh chairs, on the other hand, excel in breathability, keeping users cool during long periods of sitting. The choice between foam and mesh ultimately depends on individual preferences and specific needs, but both materials have their distinct advantages.

A New Type of Computer Chair

Recognizing the shift in workplace habits accelerated by the pandemic, Secretlab leads the way in adaptable furniture design. Their chairs support various activities, from video calls to streaming, by prioritizing movement and versatility.
This approach meets the needs of today’s workers and paves the way for future ergonomic innovations, ensuring comfort and productivity in a world where work and play often overlap.

Click Here to Know More.

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Beautiful amorphous chair is also a side table, bookcase, and art object in one

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Chairs are always a necessity in any living space, but that doesn’t mean they’re always in use. In fact, some chairs have become makeshift shelves for holding stuff either because the owner has run out of space for an actual shelf or because that chair has sat unused for months. While that’s a practical solution for an underutilized piece of furniture, it’s also unaesthetic, messy, and inefficient. If only you could have a chair that is also a shelf or table when it’s not in use. That’s precisely the multi-functional design that this rather distinctive chair has to offer, and it looks like a stunning art design object as well, no matter which way you use it.

Designer: Mavimatt

Multifunctional furniture often involves moving or modular parts, requiring some action that can be cumbersome to undertake. Given human nature, owners are less likely to take advantage of these features, so a chair or table remains as they are throughout their lifetime. Metamorfosi, in contrast, is just a single piece with no moving or removable parts. It’s a single, hollow shape that simply looks like the outline of a splat or puddle from the side, but this seemingly random shape is actually what gives the chair its three functions.

It is, of course, first and foremost a chair, though one that seems to be more of an artistic interpretation of a chair. There’s room for only a single person, and the absence of armrests might make it feel less secure and comfortable. Despite its appearance, however, it’s still a table seat, and its creative design lets you lean back with confidence, knowing that it won’t flip over on its own.

If you do flip it over, it transforms into a low side table, one with a larger flat area in front and a smaller space on its back. It definitely boggles the mind how a chair with plenty of curves on its body in one moment can become a stable table the next. And if you flip it again, it becomes a makeshift bookcase whose corners prevent the books from sliding off.

The Metamorfosi, however, has a fourth function: enhancing the ambiance of a space with its unique beauty. These handmade chairs have a certain charm to them with their dynamic shapes and glossy hues. They’re as much a work of art as they are multi-purpose pieces of furniture, shattering expectations that multifunctional furniture needs to look technical and complex.

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Experimental chair by Ahn Kihyun lets you keep eggs from cracking

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When looking for a chair, of course what you want is for something that you can sit on comfortably. Depending also on your budget or on your space, you probably don’t really care much about the design of it as long as it is able to perform its main function which is that you can sit on it. But there are some chairs that are not just functional. In fact, sitting on it may not be the only purpose of it but it becomes a piece of art, or in this case, even performance art.

Designer: Ahn Kihyun

The Halfway Serious chair will probably not make you comfortable and will even make you anxious if you’re that kind of person. But what it will definitely do is make the “mundane” act of sitting more interesting and more challenging. Aside from the actual seat, it uses a gimbal structure so you have to balance sitting on the chair so that the eggs placed on either end will not drop and become a yolky mess. Of course you don’t need to really put actual raw eggs but that defeats the purpose of the chair, which is to balance it out.

Designer Ahn Kihyun is known for his experimental designs for alternative furniture or “anti-furniture”. He believes that by adding elements to his pieces that give different experiences to the users, the act of using it can actually become a sort of performance art. For this particular piece, he made the egg container at either end of the gimbal look like an island. But with the addition of the chair in the middle, which looks like an ordinary bench on its own, you are able to tell a different story.

It would be interesting to sit on something like this although as a person with a balance problem, the eggs will probably not be long for this world. As its name suggests, Halfway Serious will not be an actual chair that you can sit on every day but something that belongs in a museum or a space meant to invite people to try it out and see if you can keep the eggs from cracking on the floor.

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A bicycle with three embedded chairs to ferry around town … wait , what!

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I’ve always been intrigued and amazed by the idea of Mamachari bicycles from Japan that can be used as grocery carriers, kid transporters, or riding to work with all your gadgets. Virtually every family in the land of the rising sun owns or has owned a Mama’s Chariot.

The unisex bicycle has proven itself as a age-old solution to city commuting and the Mama bike is not going to dwindle in popularity any time soon. Not when you see outlandish inspirations like the Homo Mobilitas pictured here. The reimagined bicycle has a chair as the saddle. Yes, a chair to either go riding on the streets or relax being parked by the side of a breezy pavement to catch some air.

Designer: Takuto Ohta

The body of this unique bicycle is the Furakazu Shushu model from Maruishi Cycle which is popular in Japan as the first kids-carrying solution in the country. While the famous ride is not safe by any stretch of the imagination, it still solves the purpose if you keep all your senses in overdrive. The axis of the front handle takes all the weight and the clever mechanism links the stand to the front fork to lower the center of gravity to stabilize the bicycle. Takuto’s idea is to debunk the safety norms and address gender biases by transforming how we look and interact with bicycles.

By fusing a chair design with a bicycle, the designer wants to reinterpret how we see our relationship with everyday objects. The motivation to create this design is to see bicycles not just as a mode of transportation but also as an important part of our living environment. Thus, a bicycle with not two chairs, but three. How practical would it be to drive a bicycle with three chairs holding the weight of adults, I’m not too sure. One thing is clear though, this creation will have eyeballs turning in Japan.

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UFO rocking chair combines a playful character with a striking, elegant design

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Humanity has always had a fascination with the heavens, including the possibility of other intelligent life out there in the stars. Of course, there is no definite proof yet, but there is definitely no shortage of reports claiming to have seen UFOs or unidentified flying objects. Popular media have made the flying saucer the most iconic form of UFO, even though there’s probably no logical reason why they’d take that shape. Nonetheless, that form has inspired many an Earthly design, including this distinctive chair that looks like a lopsided UFO from afar and a majestic, almost futuristic throne up close.

Designer: Mavimatt

A rocking chair more often than not conjures up images of an antiquated wooden chair with arcs for legs that make it swing back and forth. Even among chairs, this design is already peculiar, mostly because it is far from the stable and unmoving concept that most people have for seating furniture, and this UFO-inspired treatment takes it to the next level, going beyond the stars, figuratively speaking. Beyond the initial shock factor, however, the design carries an air of class that will actually surprise you when you sit on it for the first time and discover, to your delight, that it can actually rock back and forth or even spin on its bottom.

The bowl-shaped exterior of this unusual rocking chair isn’t exactly a perfect curve, which allows the form to move without tipping over. Viewed from the side, it looks like a UFO that is either in sharp descent or has already crashed on the ground, denting its front and causing the rear to stick up and out. Made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, the structure of the chair is as strong as you’d expect from a spacecraft, or at least a piece of furniture inspired by one.

Viewed from the front, however, the chair looks less alien and more regal, almost like a throne from some futuristic civilization. There are no formal armrests for the chair, but the inner seat foam’s shape and material easily adapt to the body of the person, giving proper and comfortable support all the time. The radiating design of the seat puts the person right in the middle and emphasizes their presence, making them the visual center of the composition. Italian primofiore leather or fine fabrics are used for the upholstery, giving the chair a luxurious appearance and texture truly fit for monarchs or alien overlords.

Rather than simply sticking to the stereotypical appearance of a UFO, which would have meant glossy metal textures and colors, this UFO rocking chair opens the possibility of a wide number of designs, turning the shell of the chair into a canvas for display art, characters, or even the nighttime sky. Whether you associate it with a flying saucer or not, this Unidentified Furniture Object will surely capture anyone’s attention with its otherworldly beauty and give them the experience of their lives, sitting on a majestic chair that moves as if it were floating on air.

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