Tag Archives: Chair

This Cone-shaped Chair amplifies the sounds of the river in front of it to help you calm down

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The chair’s unique design works the same way cupping your hands around your ear helps you hear better. Dubbed the Amplification Of The Senses Chair, this unique piece of public furniture can be found placed along the banks of the Han River in Seoul. Designed to be a place where citizens can go for a moment of reflection, relaxation, and tranquility, the chair’s unique design gathers sounds from around the river and channels them toward your ears, creating a unique ASMR experience that helps relax and rejuvenate you. “This river is one of the few places to feel nature in this polluted city,” said designer Eun Whan Cho, who was commissioned to make the chairs by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. “When we sit on these chairs, the sounds of trees and rivers are amplified,” he adds. The megaphone-shaped backrest of the chair not only heightens your sense of hearing but also blocks out your peripheral vision, allowing you to completely focus on what’s in front of you and helping your mind drown out any distracting thoughts and emotions.

Designer: Eun Whan Cho (Mootaa)

The chair’s clever design turns sitting into a much more intense activity by enhancing your hearing in a way that makes you concentrate on the tranquility of nature. Doing a much better job at boosting your focus and reducing your stress than any lo-fi playlist on YouTube possibly ever could, the bench acts as a place where you go to give your mind a break. You’re surrounded by nature, fresh air, the smell of grass, and the sounds of water rippling, birds chirping, and tree branches rustling in the wind.

The chair’s focus on nature is dual-fold. Not only does it physically help you connect with nature, it’s entirely made from recycled plastic waste too. Waste around Seoul is gathered, cleaned, and pulverized into tiny chips of colored plastic that are then bound with a resin and applied on large molds. Once the resin cures, the massive pieces are de-molded and assembled to form the chairs. Each chair removes a significant amount of plastic from entering landfills or becoming ‘nature’s problem’. In a way, the chair’s purpose, as well as its construction both, have a cleansing effect. The chair’s design cleanses the environment of plastic, and sitting on it helps cleanse the human’s mind of any distracting thoughts!

Each bench is meticulously hand-cast by applying a resin-suspended composite of recycled plastic chips onto large molds.

Plastic waste for the chairs began being collected in 2018, and the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to manufacture and install the chairs on the promenade around the Han River by 2026.

The Amplification Of The Senses Chair is a Silver Winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2022.

The materials that make up the bench are obtained by crushing plastic waste in Seoul.

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15 Types of Chairs you should know about

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The word chair is derived from the Latin term ‘cathedra’ or the seat of a bishop. Over the years, the chair’s design has evolved, and various country styles and modern style chairs have originated in different countries worldwide. Their shape, size, materials used, and seating style can identify each chair style. These pieces offer a cozy dining experience and are perfect for working in the home office or unwinding after a long day. Here is a curation of 15 beautiful chair styles that are highly functional and aesthetically pleasing, too.

1. Armchair

An Armchair is a comfortable upholstered chair that supports the forearms or elbow. The asymmetrical design of the Jill armchair is softened by its gently curved arms and sweeping backrest. The chair looks different from every angle and is expertly made of pine wood, velvet upholstery, and fine Italian leather.

Designer: arianeSke

2. Chaise Lounge

A ‘Chaise Lounge’ is an upholstered sofa or a long seat in the shape of a chair that is long enough to support the legs of the occupant. Just see how the Gravity Chaise Lounge by Cobermaster Concept challenges the laws of gravity. It features a fusion of art, design, and engineering that complements each other to achieve balance.

Designer: Cobermaster Concept

3. Egg Chair

Arne Jacobsen originally designed the Egg chair in 1959 for the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark. Reminiscent of the shape of an egg, the base of this chair sits on a rotating base and is characterized by its smooth, rounded oval back and winged armchair design that nestles the occupant.

Designer: Arne Jacobsen (Dominique Rigo)

4. Wassily Chair

Designed by Hungarian architect and furniture designer Marcel Breuer in 1925, the Wassily chair is the first chair design that uses tubular steel to form its frame. Based on the principle of form follows function, Breuer reduced the classic club chair to its elemental lines and planes and brought forth a revolution in modernist furniture design.

Designer: Marce Breuer (Knoll)

5. Wishbone Chair

Hans Wenger designed the Wishbone Chair in 1949 for Carl Hansen & Søn. Inspired by the thrones of Chinese emperors, its steam-bent backrest and hand-woven seat define the chair alongside its comfortable yet minimal design.

Designer: Hans Wenger (Carl Hansen & Son)

6. Chesterfield Chair

A Chesterfield chair is a classic British upholstered seating that ensures optimum comfort. It features elaborately rolled arms and button-tufted upholstery where a pattern of buttons in the same material decorates the back of the seating, and it is finished with nailhead trim.

Designer: The Chesterfield Company

7. Director’s Chair

Reminiscent of folding chairs that directors often use on movie sets, the “Director’s Chair” is a lightweight chair that folds side by side and mimics the scissor’s action. It comprises a wooden framework, a paddle-shaped armrest, and a foldable base that makes it easy to move around and tuck away when needed. Originally, the chair was made of canvas, but now leather is the preferred upholstery material.

Designer: The African Touch

8. Rocking chairs

A conventional rocking chair is built on two curved pieces of wood that enable the person to rock backward and forward when sitting on it. The Velo Ash rocking chair by Jan Waterson is a sculptural work inspired by the seamless tubular construction seen in bicycle design. The rocking chair is ergonomic, while the Steam bent timber allows the occupant to bounce gently in place.

Designer: Jan Waterston (Curio)

9. Folding chairs

A folding chair is a space-saving, convenient piece of furniture that can be folded back when unused. It ensures easy storage and transportation and is a perfect alternative to outdoor furniture. The simple, minimalist compact design of the Pad chair is made from multiple wooden strips joined together. It effortlessly transforms from a 2D shape into a 3D chair and looks like a wooden plank or slab when closed.

Designer: Shaohan Yang

10. Recliner chairs

Recliner chairs have a moveable structure with a footrest and backrest that can be reclined as per the comfort and requirement of the occupant. One can pick from simple, manually operated recliners or those with technically advanced features like massage mode, vibrator, automatic recline, and so on. They are usually available in leather and faux leather upholstery.

Designer: Karimoku Furniture

11. Acapulco chairs

The Acapulco chair is mid-century modern furniture that is deeply rooted in Mexican design. It comprises a pear-shaped woven design and hand-woven fibers that form the foundation of the seating.

Designer: Silla Acapulco

12. Swivel chairs

A swivel chair is an ingenious seat that turns from side to side around a central point, usually without moving the base or feet of the chair. A Seoul-based design firm, 250 Design, built the 5° Chair. It is an office chair that can rotate 360°, lean back and forward, and tilt from side to side to support one’s posture and body’s natural movement.

Designer: 250 Design

13. Tulip Chair

Designed by Eero Saarinen in 1956, the Tulip chair is an icon of post-modern furniture resembling a flower and a stemmed wine glass. The one-legged chair is molded from a single material and describes Saarinen’s intentions to simplify the structure.

Designer: Eero Saarinen (Knoll)

14. Womb Chair

Eero Saarinen designed the Womb chair in 1946, which is in response to Florence Knoll’s request to create a chair that was like a basket full of pillows. Its sculptural shape is evocative of the natural shape of a womb, as many people have never felt comfortable and secure since they left the womb. The chair and ottoman are designed to envelop the occupant and allow them to relax.

Designer: Eero Saarinen (Knoll)

15. Meditation Chair

Meditation chairs provide comfort, encourage good back alignment, and relieve the pressure that gradually builds up in the back and legs when one tends to sit for long hours. Reminiscent of the traditional singing bowls used by Tibetan monks, the bowl-shaped “Goyo” chair is punctuated by a smooth, maple wood seat, and stand that encapsulate the occupant. The backrest and seat are angled and contoured to ensure comfort and allow one to meditate. In addition, one can strike the bowl to hear soft, rippling sounds resonate.

Designer: Lee Ye Chan

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Lean On lets you rest while still staying on your feet

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As someone who spends more than half a day sitting in front of a computer screen or lying down scrolling or reading or watching, I keep reminding myself that I should get up every few minutes or so. The problem is that even if I’m just sitting down, my work is stressful enough so standing up takes a lot of effort. Most of the time, I still need to rest and relax even when I’m standing up and taking a break from work. So what if I could stand and rest at the same time?

Designers: Wonchul Lee and Boyeon Kim

The idea for the “Lean On” concept is to have that “three minutes” rest between sitting and standing that some are advised to do. This is perfect for people who like me who need to stand every once in a while to just stretch but also need to rest while doing so. This piece of furniture will capture that “ambiguous” moment in between sitting and standing. The curve of the object lets you have a few moments of rest even as you’re technically on your feet.

Think of it as a wall that you can lean against except there’s still a small seat to rest your hips and back on. The base and structure of the entire Lean On furniture is a continuous, tubular steel frame that curves slightly for the resting part and it is meant to fit the contour of the body. The “seat” or the “wall” is made from leather and can be different colors, as shown in the renders. You can actually place two of them perpendicular to each other so you and an officemate or friend can rest together while standing up.

The photos seem to show it is meant for tall people, or at least for people of regular height. I don’t know how people like me who are vertically challenged will be able to fit into the contour of the Lean On so maybe there will be some options as to the height of the curve so it can be more height-friendly.

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This speaker design transforms into a chair to create a personal listening space

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Every day, our eyes and our brains are bombarded with visual stimuli, especially from the smartphones we are glued to most of the time. Even for the younger generations, there is a tipping point when things become too overwhelming, so many of them retreat to music of varying genres for a reprieve. That often involves putting on headphones for a bit of privacy, but such accessories do remove one other thing that these people crave for: social connections. Balancing sometimes conflicting objectives can be a bit difficult for a single product to achieve, but this concept design attempts to do exactly that by making a speaker transform into a one-seater chair for a more private listening session.

Designers: Minsong Cho, Jeonghyeon We, Jihye Yang, Hyerim Kim, Park Sol

Music can be both personal and social, and this dichotomy is best exemplified by how younger listeners enjoy their tunes. On the one hand, they do want to be able to “feel” the musical space around them, pretty much like surround sound, but, at times, they also want it to be more expansive to include other people around them. Wireless earphones and headphones naturally close off other people, while regular speakers just blast audio in either a single or all directions. Although you probably won’t find audio equipment that does all of the above at the same time, this concept is able to change its form depending on what people need.

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OunD, which comes from the four letters common to “sound,” “surround,” and “round,” is an audio device that looks like a speaker at one time and a personal chair at another time. A hidden rack and pinion system raises the back of the speaker to form the curved backrest of the chair. The sides of that backrest hide the actual speakers that do the actual work of delivering the surround sound experience to whoever is sitting inside.

The idea of the design is a bit simple when you discover that secret mechanism. If you want a more personal listening experience that still immerses you in the musical space, you can simply press a button to raise the back portion, sit on the chair, and sink into your favorite tunes. If you want to party, on the other hand, lower the chair and transform OunD back into a more traditional speaker.

While the design is quite creative in solving the problem, there might be a few kinks that still need to be ironed out on the practical side. The personal listening space, for example, won’t be as private as headphones unless you’re the only person in the room, and the development of Spatial Audio technologies almost makes it moot as well. The position of the speakers might be great for personal listening, but their orientation in OunD’s speaker form might not be optimal. And while the chair is, of course, designed for comfort, it might not inspire much confidence in stability, especially with a short base and a heavy top.

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This leather-covered chair folds flat like a folder for easy storage

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Most people dream of owning eye-catching furniture, but not everyone has room for fancy yet large tables or distinctive but voluminous seats. Space becomes even more of a problem if you find yourself hosting guests once in a while, but not often enough to warrant purchasing permanent chairs in your already cramped living quarters. Foldable tables and chairs have become solutions to this dynamic space problem, but most of these sacrifice aesthetics in exchange for flexibility. Of course, there are some exceptions, especially within the realm of speculative or concept design, where form and function are both treated with equal dignity. This foldable chair, for example, clearly has a utilitarian construction, but it still manages to throw in a few design elements that give it the same stylish characteristic as leather-covered furniture and stationery.

Designer: Jeongwoo SEO

Traditional foldable chair designs come in wooden or metallic forms, with hinges and pivots that allow parts of the choir, usually the seat, to fold up or down to create a more compact shape. Although it’s a practical and simple design, it’s definitely not the only way to fold a chair. Given certain factors, it might not even be the best solution.

The Folio Chair takes a different approach to the folding puzzle, requiring no hinges or screws to implement the mechanism. Instead, it seems to take inspiration from papercraft and art such as origami, where simply pushing or pulling a single part can change the object’s shape. In this case, pulling the top of the chair upward causes the folds of the seat and the back legs to straighten up and lie flat on the middle layer that serves as the supporting structure of the chair.

The end result is a very flat but long piece that is almost reminiscent of a folder, which is probably where its name comes from. In addition to being easy to carry around, whether by the handle or under your arm, it also makes the Folio Chair easy to store away. You even have a stack of them either lying down or standing up in a closet, depending on how much space you have.

The Folio Chair also has a distinct charm with its leather surfaces and stitch marking at the edges. This calls to mind not only the leather upholstery used on more luxurious furniture but also the leather bindings on some notebooks and organizers. To some extent, it’s a design that wouldn’t look out of place in an office, even though it’s clearly meant for more casual settings.

Despite its unique proposition, the Folio Chair might still raise some concerns regarding its practicality and safety. While it might be flatter than most folding chairs, it is also a lot taller when collapsed, taking up more vertical space instead. Depending on the materials used, it might also seem a little bit unstable, simply relying on physics and folding patterns to make sure the chair doesn’t collapse under a person’s weight.

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This simplistic wooden chair imagines a future Google that has gone back to nature

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It’s not uncommon for design trends to swing back and forth like a pendulum, making what was once old new again or seeing old practices in a new light. That kind of back and forth seemingly applies to almost all facets of life and history that it became even part of major philosophies. All that it means is that what may be the prevalent style or mindset now could take a U-turn after a few decades, and all our obsession with advanced technologies could lead to a counter-movement that will bring us back to nature and the basics. The tech companies today won’t be the same decades from now, and some of them might even adopt a style that might even be perceived as devoid of tech completely, like this wooden chair that might be Google’s signature furniture 24 years from now.

Designer: Povilas Grigas

When it comes to tech companies, Google is definitely one of the big three, along with Microsoft and Apple. With its hands in so many different technological fields, you could almost say that it is the most popular icon of technology. The company has undergone so many changes since its birth, not least of which is splitting into different companies under Alphabet, but its biggest change is probably yet to come. Just as humans are wont to return to simpler and more natural things, so too Google’s design language might swing that way a few decades from now.

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One speculative design project envisions what Google’s design language would be like by 2046 or so, based on the principle above as well as Google’s current design philosophy. Google has always had a penchant for minimalism, though the exact application of that design philosophy changes over time. And what could be more minimalist than pieces of furniture that are not only natural but are also inspired by nature’s more basic designs. The Seed Chair, for example, looks like nothing more than a few short logs joined together to form a seat, representing the most basic interaction between nature and man.

Admittedly, the Seed Chair doesn’t look like the most comfortable seat around, though it does embrace Google’s spartan aesthetics and preference for geometric shapes. At the same time, however, it is almost the complete opposite of Google’s spirit. The chair is large, heavy, and has plenty of friction, while Google’s culture is always associated with agility and fast-paced change, almost to a fault.

Of course, it is unlikely that Google will adopt this nature-centric design wholesale, at least not in the foreseeable future. It is, however, more likely to dip its toes into this area of product design, researching and experimenting with ways technology can make such designs possible, especially with a nod towards sustainability and the use of natural materials. That might be more in line with Google’s character and mindset, one that tries to inject technology everywhere, especially in places where data can be harvested, utilized, and maybe even turned into a profit.

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These 3D printed chairs bring an element of flexible, sustainable options to your living room

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3D printing is bringing about a lot of innovations in various industries and that includes furniture design and manufacturing. While there are still a lot of things that need to be improved before we can actually go into mass or commercial production, we’re seeing a lot of new things not just in terms of design but also sustainability, flexibility, and even new features. It’s an exciting time to be experimenting with this technology and designers in particular are having fun with their creations and the production itself.

Designer: Johannes Steinbauer Office For Design

This new manufacturing technique from Oeschler brings about pretty interesting things to these 3D printed seats designed by Johannes Steinbauer Office For Design. Because of additive manufacturing, you can actually remove things like fabrics, springs, and foam and still get an actual chair that should be functional and still feel comfortable. To be able to get a stable piece of furniture, it uses rigid prints instead of the usual racks from chairs.

The design is simple enough with four legs, a round seat, and a single bar at the back. But if you want to add other components like more racks or even textiles, these can also be added through 3D printing. The different parts are easy to assemble and disassemble and once it reaches end of life, you can dispose of the different parts separately and recycle them accordingly. The fact that it is both sustainable and also easy to assemble adds to the appeal.

While it doesn’t look to be the most comfortable of chairs, at least from the photo perspective, there are a lot of things that can later on be improved and experimented on in terms of design and functionality. 3D printing for furniture is an interesting innovation for the industry and it’s exciting to see what designers and manufacturers will come up with in the next few years.

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Ultra-versatile ROG Destrier Ergo Gaming Chair cocoons mobile gamers in distraction-free ergonomic comfort

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Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) had a stellar lineup at the virtual launch event for CES 2023 and a gaming chair for mobile gamers is one accessory everyone wanted to see.

Mobile gaming is on the rise in the last couple of years and is estimated to grow given the focus on developing gaming phones capable of running console-quality AAA titles. The ROG Destrier Ergo Gaming Chair slots in perfectly as mobile gamers tend to keep searching for that ergonomic comfort zone that gives them the tactical edge in competitive or even casual gaming with buddies.

Designer: Asus

In a world filled with dedicated gaming chairs like the Razer Enki. Herman Miller X Logitech G Embody, Secretlab Omega or Cougar Explore S; the ROG’s new mobile gaming chair wants to plug in the gap left by others. One thing is not surprising though; the chair has a dual head, dual lumbar, and padded arm support for long sessions of gaming without making the user feel tired. To ensure you give 100% attention to the in-game action and nothing else, the chair has a detachable acoustic panel to shield gamers from any visual distractions. It also provides active noise reduction by creating an acoustic barrier.

Asus ROG has opted for a cyborg-styled exoskeletal design for that Cyberpunk appeal. The function is also primal here, as the armrest can be raised by up to 14 cm to have maximum flexibility when it comes to positioning the arms optimally for FPS, racing or strategy games. Add to that the ability to rotate the armrest 360 degrees, and you’re set to gain a lasting advantage. Predictably the aluminum frame chair has a versatile seat adjustment option, breathable mesh and premium PU foam for no-frills support and comfort.

ROG Destrier Ergo Gaming Chair weighing 25 kg is capable of cocooning a person weighing up to 150kg in total immersion for uninterrupted gaming frenzy. Whether that amount of mobile gaming is good for you is still a question for another day though. For now, those who like the idea of a dedicated mobile gaming chair already need to keep an eye on this one in the next couple of months. There’s no word on the price or availability as of now but the gaming chair should be up for grabs soon.

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Peacock Chair concept gives you a “shroud” to protect you from distractions

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Now that some of us are back to working in offices (at least for most of the time), it’s both a blessing and a curse. It’s a blessing since you get to have actual people around you. But it’s also a curse since there are a lot of distractions around you, including people who want to talk to you when you need to finish some tasks. Sometimes I wish I had a sign attached to my chair to let other people know whether or not I’m free to talk or when to leave me alone.

Designers: Markus Melcher, Rob Shudra, Andrew Ferrier

The concept for the Peacock Chair should come in handy for times like these. It tries to solve some of the issues that may arise like “privacy, distractions, noise, and the ability to maintain a work/life balance”, according to the designers. I don’t know about that last one but the other aspects can probably be solved with this concept. From the name itself, this chair has a peacock-like shroud that will give a signal to the people around you and also give you a sense of privacy and temporarily put away the noise around you.

When the shroud is in a downward position, this means you’re in a more casual situation, letting people know they can talk to you and you can talk to them. In this position, the shroud doesn’t really have any other purpose except to be sort of decorative. When the peacock’s “feathers” are up, obviously the one sitting on the chair wants to be left alone to focus and work or read or have some sense of peace. The shroud also dampens the noise around you although it’s still probably better to have noise-canceling headphones or earphones.

The chair itself is the usual wooden brown design with black metal legs and arms. The shroud is a gray color, which kind of makes the peacock name a misnomer as we usually associate it with a more colorful design. But if you like minimalist furniture and you need something to protect you from the distractions around you, then it’s a chair that you’ll probably welcome.

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This ergonomic office chair was designed to make the sedentary WFH lifestyle more comfortable and healthy

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With a full-mesh design that boosts breathability, a contoured back for lumbar support, and an adjustable multi-dimensional headrest, the Sihoo M57 is the most ideal ergonomic office chair on a budget.

Touted as one of the best-selling office chairs, the M57 really nails the basics and ticks all the boxes. It can be adjusted and personalized to custom perfection, giving you the ideal arrangement and letting you go from upright work-mode to reclined break-mode in mere seconds. The breathable highly elastic tensile mesh fabric keeps you cool and comfortable, while a foam-covered lumbar pillow keeps your back in the right posture so you don’t feel the fatigue of the WFH lifestyle.

Designer: Sihoo

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Every part of the M57 is designed for prolonged comfort, from the S-shaped backrest with the adjustable headrest and lumbar pillow, to the waterfall-arc seat that keeps the circulation in your thighs going so you never get tired of putting in the long hours. The backrest goes from 90° to 126°, and the headrest can be made to move up or down or even angle-adjusted as per your liking. The lumbar cushion moves up and down too, as well as forward or backward, and the M57’s 3D handlebars are designed to be some of the most ergonomic on any office chair, with the ability to move forward and backward, up and down, and even rotate on their axis for 360° adjustability.

Each M57 is built for longevity, from the bottom up. The chair’s base is crafted from a light but durable aluminum alloy, while the chair’s functional and load-bearing parts are all mechanical steel. The frames use tough polypropylene plastic, while the armrest is a combination of polyamide for toughness and polyurethane for that soft, leathery texture.

The lumbar cushion uses a foam material, while the backrest, seat, and headrest all employ a polyethylene + polyester mesh fabric that’s elastic, tensile, and incredibly breathable. Users have a choice of getting their M57 in either black or gray variants, with the ability to opt for carpet or hard-floor-friendly caster wheels. The M57 comes with a pretty impressive 3-year warranty.

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