chair design | designboom.com https://www.designboom.com/tag/chair-design/ designboom magazine | your first source for architecture, design & art news Fri, 13 Jun 2025 02:46:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 holder objects reintroduces iconic argentinian plaka chair by ricardo blanco https://www.designboom.com/design/holder-objects-iconic-argentinian-plaka-chair-ricardo-blanco-06-13-2025/ Fri, 13 Jun 2025 03:01:16 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1138339 clean geometry and foldable structure define plaka chair's visual character.

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Revisiting a Latin American Classic: Plaka Chair by Ricardo Blanco

 

Originally designed in 1972 by Argentine designer Ricardo Blanco, the Plaka Chair, or Silla Plaka, is a folding chair developed with a strong emphasis on functionality and compactness. The chair was conceived to fold into an extremely slim profile, optimizing it for portability and storage. Its form also allows it to be hung on a wall, emphasizing its graphic and sculptural qualities beyond mere utility.

 

The Plaka Chair is recognized as a significant piece in the history of Argentine design. It is held in the permanent collections of both the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), reflecting its historical and design relevance. Ricardo Blanco’s Plaka Chair has been reedited by Holder Objects, an editorial platform, design store, and gallery dedicated to contemporary and collectible Latin American design. 


all images by Najtlix Studio

 

 

Plaka Chair joins Holder Objects’ curated selection of furniture

 

Founded by designer Trinidad Davanzo and architect Camilo Palma, Holder Objects platform presents a curated selection of furniture and art-led objects that explore connections between design, geography, and cultural identity within the region. Holder’s approach includes research-based curatorial work focused on uncovering historically important but lesser-known works, an effort referred to as ‘design archaeology.’ This methodology aims to preserve and reintroduce Latin American design heritage to a wider audience, especially in Europe, fostering cultural dialogue and collaboration.

 

The Plaka Chair joins Holder’s growing catalog, which also includes pieces such as the Puzzle Chair (1975) by Chilean designer Juan Baixas, another design held in the MoMA collection, alongside works from a range of contemporary Latin American designers. Holder Objects is set to give a talk at 3daysofdesign 2025, representing Latin American design.


the Plaka Chair, designed by Ricardo Blanco in 1972, emphasizes functionality and compactness


a folding chair reduced to its most minimal profile


clean geometry and foldable structure define its visual character


Holder’s reedition brings renewed attention to Ricardo Blanco’s design

holder-objects-iconic-argentinian-plaka-chair-ricardo-blanco-designboom-1800-2

designed for portability, stored like artwork


a landmark of 20th-century Argentine design


a folding chair that functions as both seat and statement

holder-objects-iconic-argentinian-plaka-chair-ricardo-blanco-designboom-1800-1

the Plaka Chair reflects a considered approach to material use and movement

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fabrication


fabrication


fabrication


fabrication


sketches

 

project info:

 

name: Silla Plaka – Plaka Chair (Slab Chair)
designer: Ricardo Blanco

furniture company: Holder Objects | @holder.objects

 

photographer & videographer: Najt Lix Studio

concept & research: Najt Lix Studio | @najtlixstudio

director: Matías Lix | @lix_klett

original music: Camilo Palma | @ap_ducal

special thanks: Ana Scotto, Roberto Busnelli, Guillermo Ferrari, Pablo Diez, Fundación Ida | @fundacionida, Estudio Ovalle | @estudioovalle

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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vondom and quitllet’s madison collection transforms one design into four distinct looks https://www.designboom.com/design/vondom-eugeni-quitllet-madison-outdoor-collection-chair-design-06-11-2025/ Wed, 11 Jun 2025 09:10:43 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1137356 vondom's madison collection by eugeni quitllet captures new york's dynamic spirit, offering versatile designs with four distinct aesthetics for any space.

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VONDOM PRESENTS MADISON COLLECTION DESIGNED BY EUGENI QUITLLET

 

Vondom’s Madison collection, designed by Eugeni Quitllet, draws inspiration from the dynamic and evolving character of New York. Reflecting the city’s vital attitude, a place where deep-rooted traditions mingle with the modern pulse, the collection integrates this duality directly into its design, offering a versatile range of chairs. It embodies a ‘changing spirit’ that combines modern aesthetics with classic lines, all stemming from a singular structure capable of manifesting four distinct personalities. This adaptability, according to designer Eugeni Quitllet, captures the very essence of his vision:

 

‘The essence of a Manhattan street that still retains its energy and has been able to adapt to the passage of time to remain a reference of both architectural style and the New Yorker way of living… I wanted my Madison chair to reflect this changing spirit, modern and classic at the same time and to offer all the possibilities of use with its multiple finishes, noble and hospitality. A design for everyone, from New York City!’ says Quitllet, elaborating on his inspiration behind the Madison collection.


the Madison collection by Eugeni Quitllet captures New York’s vital attitude | all images courtesy of Vondom

 

 

MADISON DEEPENS COMPLICITY BETWEEN VONDOM AND QUITLLET

 

After several collections, including furniture lines like Ibiza, Africa and Tulum, Madison further deepens the strong and creative complicity between Vondom and Eugeni Quitllet. With roots in Valencia, the Spanish brand has long been known for its mission to create outdoor furniture, characterized by distinctive forms and refined materials. Quitllet, a Catalan designer, approaches design with a unique vocabulary, often unveiling inherent shapes from within the material.


Madison stands as a testament to Vondom and Eugeni Quitllet’s creative complicity

 

 

ONE DESIGN BLOSSOMS INTO FOUR DISTINCT LOOKS

 

At the heart of the Madison collection lies a singular core structure, yet it blossoms into four distinct personalities through an array of different compositions, mixing materials and finishes. Each version is crafted to evoke a specific mood and aesthetic. One iteration stands out with its resin slats, offering a contemporary appeal that defines a clean, structural aesthetic. Another design radiates unburdened lightness, distinguished by its airy appearance. For those seeking a cozier embrace, there’s a more enveloping, tactile option, providing a soft touch. Finally, the last version evokes the warmth and aesthetic of wood, adding a natural and inviting element. All these variations share a wide chromatic range, ensuring effortless adaptation to both indoor and outdoor spaces.


Madison offers a versatile range of pieces, stemming from a singular structure with four distinct aesthetics


each iteration within the collection evokes a specific mood, from a clean aesthetic to radiating unburdened lightness


with its wide chromatic range, the Madison collection ensures effortless adaptation

 

 

project info:

 

name: Madison

company: Vondom | @vondomslu

designer: Eugeni Quitllet | @eugeniquitllet

 

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formafantasma reflects on american domestic furniture archetypes at friedman benda NYC https://www.designboom.com/design/formafantasma-american-domestic-furniture-archetypes-friedman-benda-nyc-formations-06-11-2025/ Wed, 11 Jun 2025 06:45:42 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1138219 friedman benda in new york is currently presenting formation, the first US gallery exhibition by italian design studio formafantasma.

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italian studio formafantasma arrives to the US

 

Friedman Benda in New York is currently presenting Formation, the first US gallery exhibition by Italian design studio Formafantasma. Opened to the public on June 6th and running until August 1st, the show signals an entry into the American gallery landscape for Andrea Trimarchi and Simone Farresin, whose studio has built a reputation for research-driven work grounded in material and cultural investigations.

 

Comprising tables, chairs, and lighting made primarily from Cherry wood and brushed aluminum, Formation centers on the idea of the archetype, specifically the typical pieces that make up the language of the home. ‘One of the words that kept on emerging from our conversation with the gallery was the idea of the archetype,’ Farresin explains at the show’s opening in New York.There is an element in this group of works, which is the plank. That’s the most basic archetype where you construct furniture. And that’s where the collection originated.’

formafantasma friedman benda
installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

 

 

formation: friedman benda becomes a living space

 

The works by Formafantasma are composed within Friedman Benda’s gallery to recall a living space, though it is intentionally reduced in language. The designers note that Formation makes no attempt at theatricality. Instead, there is an attentiveness to proportion and placement. Each element draws from the familiar forms of chairs, shelving, and tables without directly reproducing historical models. ‘We wanted to address the domestic environment.’

 

The lighting pieces serve as an especially pointed reflection on how archetypes evolve. Made with flat LED panels encased in wood and metal, they mirror the ratio and glow of laptops and mobile devices. ‘Instead of the bulb, the new archetype of lighting is actually the panel,’ Farresin notes, describing our changing archetypes.The iPhone, the laptop. That is the lighting that affects most of our lives.’

formafantasma friedman benda
installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

 

 

Material conversations and cultural inheritance

 

The choice of Cherry wood is central to Formation. Sourced from a lineage of American cabinetmaking, the material speaks to a larger cultural inheritance. Trimarchi and Farresin reference the Shaker tradition, Frank Lloyd Wright, and George Nakashima, not just for their aesthetics but for the clarity of their values and their dedication to material truth. ‘The decision to work with Cherry wood is also a reference and an homage to a lot of American designers we love,’ he says.The work has been informed by the fact that we are here in the United States, showing our work.’

 

Against the warmth of the Cherry wood, brushed aluminum appears cool and precise. More than formal, this contrast speaks to Formafantasma’s interest in how older materials might coexist with the language of digital culture. The two materials remain distinct, yet they are in constant dialogue across each object.

formafantasma friedman benda
installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

 

 

textiles in the domestic environment

 

Subtle textile elements appear throughout the exhibition as acknowledgements of domestic labor and memory. ‘A lot of textile work is often overlooked in the domestic environment,’ the designer continues. ‘I’m thinking about table linen. And white is very subtle. We thought it was beautiful to include that. It made us think about the work of the many women that informed our life.’

 

The inclusion of these textiles introduces a softer, slower register to the space. They draw attention to touch and surface, but also to the social histories embedded in fabric which have long defined the heritage of furniture-making.

formafantasma friedman benda
installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

formafantasma friedman benda
installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

friedman-benda-formafantasma-formation-exhibition-new-york-designboom-06a

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung


installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

friedman-benda-formafantasma-formation-exhibition-new-york-designboom-08a

installation view courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma | photo by Izzy Leung

 

project info:

 

exhibition: Formation

design: Formafantasma | @formafantasma

gallery: Friedman Benda | @friedman_benda

location: 515 W 26th St 1st Floor, New York, NY

on view: June 6th — August 1st, 2025

photography: © Izzy Leung, courtesy Friedman Benda and Formafantasma

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david lynch artifacts, from movie memorabilia to his own furniture designs, head to auction https://www.designboom.com/design/david-lynch-artifacts-movie-memorabilia-furniture-designs-auction-06-05-2025/ Thu, 05 Jun 2025 10:10:25 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1137325 on june 18th, 2025, the david lynch collection auction event by julien’s auctions and turner classic movies takes place.

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The david lynch collection head to auction in LA

 

David Lynch artifacts, from movie props and unfinished scripts to his very own cameras, musical instruments, furniture designs, and even a custom director’s chair, head to auction. On June 18th, 2025, starting at 10am Pacific Time in Los Angeles, the David Lynch collection auction event by Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies takes place. It is part of the auction company’s and network’s Hollywood Legends series of archival collections from the industry’s revered figures. For the David Lynch collection auction, the event presents over 450 items that come directly from the filmmaker’s home and personal possessions.

 

The sale hopes to offer a look at his creative life through the personal artifacts he used to use and work with in his everyday and cinematic life.  The items originate from his film projects, his personal woodshop, and his art studio, so much so that they include props, art supplies, furniture he designed and built, and equipment from his music recording studio. In fact, the handmade coffee table, one-of-one conference table, and homemade wheeled cabinet the filmmaker designed are in the auction event. Other items connect to his other films and personal interests, such as a set of four prop menus from the Winkie’s diner location in the film Mulholland Drive. There is also a boomerang-style sofa of the same model seen in the 1997 film Lost Highway.

david lynch collection auction
Twin Peaks – The Return Screen-Matched Nuclear Bomb Framed Photo from Gordon Cole’s Office behind David Lynch | all images courtesy of Julien’s Auctions

 

 

From film prints to custom director’s chair

 

Several items in the David Lynch collection auction relate directly to the filmmaker, artist, and musician’s work as a director. One lot features his very own custom director’s chair he used during productions (it even has his name on the back). Another item is David Lynch’s personal 35mm film print of his first feature film, Eraserhead. This print of the 1977 film is significant because Eraserhead launched his career.

 

It achieved a cult status, playing as a midnight movie for years in cities and establishing his signature filmmaking style. The auction also includes many items connected to his series Twin Peaks. One lot contains a red curtain and a black-and-white zig-zag rug from Lynch’s home. These pieces match the design of the Black Lodge, an important and otherworldly location in the show. Another item is a large, framed photograph of a nuclear bomb explosion. This photo appeared in the office of Gordon Cole, the character David Lynch played in Twin Peaks: The Return.

david lynch collection auction
Art Studio Chair and Stool of David Lynch as part of the collection auction

 

 

Objects include original finished and unfinished scripts

 

The David Lynch collection auction shows his life outside of film as well. Take the espresso machines and bean grinders, which hint at the filmmaker’s appreciation for coffee. The auction features several musical instruments, including a Parker Fly electric guitar he used on his solo albums. Another instrument is a custom five-neck console steel guitar that was designed by David Lynch and built by luthier Danny Ferrington. Some of the presented objects are his original finished and unfinished scripts, including Mulholland Drive, Ronnie Rocket, The Dream of the Bovine, The Straight Story, Wild at Heart, Lost Highway, and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.

 

The David Lynch collection auction allows the filmmaker’s fans a chance to own the objects, designs, scripts, artworks, cameras, musical instruments, and more from many areas of the artist’s life. He is a remembered filmmaker, artist, and musician. His body of work includes films and series such as Eraserhead, The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Lost Highway, and Mulholland Drive. His work across different media has influenced film and television for decades. This auction presents an opportunity for the public to acquire items he owned and used, and Julien’s Auctions accepts bids in person, by telephone, or online on June 18th, 2025, starting at 10am Pacific Time.

david lynch collection auction
the filmmaker’s Art Studio Stool also heads to bidding

david lynch collection auction
Personalized Director’s Chair of David Lynch

david lynch collection auction
Dune Production Office Vintage Telephone

david lynch collection auction
the event presents over 450 items that come directly from the filmmaker’s home and personal possessions

david-lynch-artifacts-movie-scripts-props-director’s-chair-auction-julien’s-designboom-ban

Eraserhead Memorabilia Group with Lynch Signed CDs

Homemade Wheeled Cabinet by David Lynch
Homemade Wheeled Cabinet by David Lynch

Conference Table Designed and Built by David Lynch with Twelve Chairs
Conference Table Designed and Built by David Lynch with Twelve Chairs

Eraserhead Behind-The-Scenes Photo Prints
Eraserhead Behind-The-Scenes Photo Prints

Montana Luxus Snakeskin Camera
Montana Luxus Snakeskin Camera

david-lynch-artifacts-movie-scripts-props-director’s-chair-auction-julien’s-designboom-ban2

Lost Highway Luna Lounge Prop Matchbooks

 

project info:

 

name: The David Lynch Collection 

companies: Julien’s Auctions, Turner Classic Movies | @juliens_auctions, @tcm

auction date and time: June 18th, 2025, starting at 10am Pacific Time

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boss design dresses uma chair in bio-based foam refining carbon-free sculptural elegance https://www.designboom.com/design/boss-design-uma-chair-bio-based-foam-carbon-free-sculptural-elegance-06-04-2025/ Wed, 04 Jun 2025 08:30:43 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1134528 uma by boss design delivers style and represents a sustainable option with its bio foam reducing the carbon footprint by 75%.

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boss design sets high seating standard with uma

 

Uma by Boss Design embodies a new standard in leadership seating, merging sculptural elegance with tangible sustainability. Drawing from nature, its organic form and tactility present a softer vision of authority – one rooted in ergonomic integrity and material responsibility. At a glance, the Uma chair appears poised, but beneath its elegant exterior lies a sophisticated fusion of material science and design engineering. The chair’s posture belies its low-impact footprint, made possible by the integration of BioPUR® foam – a revolutionary bio-based alternative that reduces embodied carbon by up to 75% when compared to traditional polyurethane. With Uma, Boss Design stands as a refined expression of how circular thinking can reshape timeless workplace icons.


Boss Design introduces Uma | all images courtesy of Boss Design

 

 

boss design in championing transparency through sustainability 



Boss Design, headquartered in High Point, North Carolina, merges artisanal craftsmanship with forward-thinking European design. Known for creating destination furniture for commercial and hospitality spaces, the brand is deeply rooted in material integrity and environmental accountability. Their latest release, Uma, extends this philosophy – a chair born from customer demand and brought to life through sculptural refinement, functional excellence, and a transparent life cycle approach.

 

Built in the USA with materials sourced from domestic suppliers, Boss Design emphasizes both regional manufacturing and reduced environmental impact. As part of the Boss Design Group, founded in the UK in 1983, the company has long upheld a design ethos where aesthetics, utility, and responsibility are treated as inseparable.


Uma has been designed for maximum comfort with every surface, line and detail honed

 

 

uma’s executive presence with modular application



While Uma was conceived with boardrooms in mind, its adaptability extends far beyond. Upholstered in premium leather, it commands attention in executive spaces; dressed in playful patterned textiles or two-tone fabrications, it becomes a casual and inviting piece for breakout areas, lounges, or touchdown spaces. With a gently sculpted form, high integrated back, and smoothly contoured armrests, Uma maintains a consistent design identity that harmonizes with the broader Boss portfolio, including collections like Paloma, Amelia, and Remi. Its tailored silhouette and subtle seam detailing allow for seamless visual continuity across workplace typologies, offering designers a flexible, cohesive solution.

 

Uma’s visual softness belies the structural intelligence beneath its surface. The seat’s generous cushioning is supported by an intelligently recessed plywood base that allows for an extra 15mm of foam without compromising profile or form. This not only enhances comfort but exemplifies Boss Design’s nuanced approach to ergonomic layering. The chair’s backrest—flowing naturally with the spine—includes an inset lumbar panel of lower-density BioPUR® foam that subtly boosts support exactly where it’s needed, especially during extended periods of sitting. Firm perimeter edges offer structure and definition, while the plush center seat cradles the body, producing a sensation more akin to lounge seating than typical task chairs.


Uma’s enticing form is more than justified by its generously cushioned seat, supportive back and tactile arms

 

 

 

At the heart of Uma is BioPUR®—Boss Design’s proprietary foam formulation developed to significantly cut emissions without compromising tactile performance. Made using bio-based content and cleaner chemistry, BioPUR® represents a major stride toward decarbonizing upholstered furniture. Its integration into Uma is not cosmetic but foundational: the foam is fully embedded within both the seat and backrest, delivering enveloping softness while maintaining ergonomic fidelity. More than just a material choice, BioPUR® is central to Boss Design’s commitment to measurable sustainability. Each Uma chair carries a carbon certificate based on third-party life cycle assessment methodologies aligned with the GHG Protocol and ISO 14067 standards.

 

Durability is another cornerstone of Uma’s sustainable design. Its internal skeleton features a robust steel frame, while the base, available in four- or five-star cast aluminium, is both lightweight and long-wearing. Functional enhancements such as height adjustment, a swivel mechanism, and a lockable tilt function make Uma suitable for daily use, whether as an executive desk chair or a dynamic conference seat. When it reaches the end of its first lifecycle, Uma can be easily reupholstered or refurbished thanks to its component-driven design. Every material – from foam and fabric to plywood and metal—has been chosen for its ability to be cleanly disassembled, reused, or recycled in alignment with circular economy principles.

boss-design-uma-chair-designboom-fullwidth

the sleek form and high level of comfort are made possible by Boss Designs’ application of polyurethane injection molding processes

 

In a design landscape increasingly defined by greenwashing and vague claims, Boss Design takes a different approach – rooted in transparency, traceability, and third-party validation. The carbon footprint of each Uma chair is reported per product using Design Conformity’s Circular Design Certificate framework, based on openly published environmental product declarations and validated for a three-year period. This rigorous methodology ensures that sustainability is embedded not just in materials and manufacturing, but in how the product’s impact is communicated and understood.

 

With Uma, Boss Design presents a new archetype for what executive furniture can be: visually arresting, materially intelligent, and fully accountable. It’s a chair for leadership that doesn’t just look forward, but leads forward. 


the thick cushioning of Uma’s seat is supplemented by a recess in the plywood base allowing an extra 15mm of foam

boss-design-uma-chair-designboom-02-fullwidth

the company’s molding know-how enables firm edges that keep their form while a soft center delivers an extremely comfortable sit


the Bio-PUR® foam that gives the chair its next-level comfort has a carbon footprint 75% lower than conventional PU foam

 


Uma can be reupholstered and refurbished for second life, and its foam, steel frame, plywood and aluminum components are easy to separate for reuse or recycling

 

 

project info:

 

name: Uma

company: Boss Design | @wearebossdesign

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roc h biel turns beech dust into chairs and modular desks inspired by corinthian columns https://www.designboom.com/design/roc-h-biel-beech-dust-chairs-modular-desks-corinthian-columns-05-30-2025/ Fri, 30 May 2025 09:50:11 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1136210 'dust order' deconstructs the capital, shaft, and entablature of classical architecture to highlight a sense of movement and visual lightness.

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deconstructing classical architecture for dust order

 

Dust Order is a sculptural furniture collection by Roc H Biel that reimagines the elegance of Corinthian columns through a modernist lens, transforming classical proportions into flowing, lightweight forms. Crafted from upcycled, compacted beech wood dust — a waste byproduct usually swept off workshop floors — and 3D-printed composites, the sculptural chair and modular desk system explore material contradiction, architectural rhythm, and surreal aesthetics.

 

Shot on a Welsh slate quarry, the highest in the UK, the project captures a striking contrast between industrial waste and soft, dreamlike forms, offering a poetic reflection on legacy, adaptability, and the blurred lines between physical and digital reality. The work was recently presented at Salone Satellite 2025 during Milan Design Week, with each object telling a story of perception, contradiction, and new material possibilities.

roc h biel turns beech dust into chairs and modular desks inspired by corinthian columns
all images courtesy of Roc H Biel

 

 

roc h biel upcycles beech wood dust for the furniture series

 

Roc H Biel’s collection deconstructs the capital, shaft, and entablature elements of the classical architecture to highlight a sense of movement and visual lightness, while maintaining a reverent connection to historical form. The chair is made by compacting and stacking beech wood dust into a monolithic, sculptural form. At first glance, its surface appears stone-like or sand-cast, tricking the eye with its granular texture. But what looks dense and weighty is surprisingly light and circular in origin. Geometry shifts subtly from base to top, octagon to circle to square, while strategic negative space lets light pour through, creating a visual rhythm that gives the piece a sense of gentle drift. The result is a quiet optical illusion: motion from stillness, airiness from mass.

 

The desk uses 3D-printed columns formed from a bonded mix of magnesium and beech wood dust, resulting in a tactile composite with the look and feel of compacted sand. It is also a modular three-piece system, designed to reconfigure from stool to bench, bench with side table, desk, or dining table. Borrowing the classical logic of column components, each element becomes a versatile building block, allowing users to choreograph space in response to need. ‘I treat classical motifs as raw material, reshaping them through a modern lens until they feel both familiar and strangely futuristic,’ says the designer. ‘They see something that looks ancient or heavy, but then they touch it and everything shifts. It’s about that moment of wonder; when material, memory, and perception all clash in the best way.’

roc h biel turns beech dust into chairs and modular desks inspired by corinthian columns
Dust Order reimagines the elegance of Corinthian columns

 

 

crafting new ‘architectural relics’

 

The collection sits at the edge of digital surrealism, deliberately creating objects that look rendered but are intensely real. While AI-generated images strive for realism, Roc H Biel flips the script: crafting tangible objects that feel dreamlike, inviting viewers into a liminal space where physical and pixel blur. This tension is echoed in the photographs, shot on location in a Welsh slate quarry that was once a site of extraction and sharp industrial waste. Its black, jagged landscape offers a dramatic contrast to Dust Order’s smooth, sand-coloured forms.

 

Set against a backdrop of clouds, the pieces appear almost suspended in the sky, as if gravity itself were uncertain. The result is a visual paradox: weight and weightlessness, ruin and refinement, the earthly and the surreal, all colliding in frame. Dust Order will be available as a limited edition collectible, produced upon request as part of Roc H Biel’s ongoing journey into sculptural, one-off design objects.

roc h biel turns beech dust into chairs and modular desks inspired by corinthian columns
the project is a formal study in silhouette and void

roc h biel turns beech dust into chairs and modular desks inspired by corinthian columns
the sculptural chair, photographed on quarry stone, juxtaposes mass and levity

dust-order-roc-h-biel-designboom-01

made from upcycled, compacted beech wood dust

roc h biel turns beech dust into chairs and modular desks inspired by corinthian columns
shot on a Welsh slate quarrry, the project captures a striking contrast between industrial waste and soft, dreamlike forms

roc h biel turns beech dust into chairs and modular desks inspired by corinthian columns
the desk uses 3D-printed columns formed from a bonded mix of magnesium and beech wood dust

dust order
two columns on stone, playing with scale, history, and distortion

dust order
organic textures mark these new ‘architectural relics’

dust order
deconstructing the capital, shaft, and entablature elements of classical architecture

 

 

project info:

 

name: Dust Order
designer: Roc H Biel | @roc.h.biel

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: ravail khan | designboom

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nik bentel studio bends single, unbroken loop of steel into sculptural chair https://www.designboom.com/design/nik-bentel-studio-single-unbroken-loop-steel-loopy-chair-05-28-2025/ Wed, 28 May 2025 09:50:39 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1135651 loopy chair is a bold, sculptural seat that captures the energy of a hand-drawn line.

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Nik Bentel Studio handcrafts sculptural Loopy Chair

 

The Loopy Chair by Nik Bentel Studio is a sculptural seating object that transforms the energy of a spontaneous, childlike sketch into a fully functional chair. At first glance, it feels like a cartoon brought to life — a single, looping line frozen mid-doodle. But behind its playful exterior lies a carefully engineered object, produced using high-quality materials and precise fabrication techniques. The project began in 2019 with the release of the original Loopy Chair: a single-color, thinner version that quickly captured attention for its whimsical form and bold silhouette. Now, several years later, the studio revisits and refines the concept, thickening the frame, upgrading the materials, and introducing a full spectrum of vibrant colorways including yellow, black, white, red, green, and blue. Each chair is handcrafted from a continuous tubular frame. The outdoor version is made of powder-coated steel, while the indoor versions include high-gloss fiberglass or a plush cloth-wrapped foam for extra comfort.


all images courtesy of Nik Bentel Studio

 

 

a continuous tubular frame shapes Loopy Chair

 

The form is the same across versions of the Loopy Chair — a three-dimensional sketch with no clear beginning or end — but the material choice shifts the tone from sturdy and architectural to light and tactile. To further bring the design’s world to life, Nik Bentel Studio’s team staged a whimsical photoshoot using miniature chair models and a surreal grassy landscape built inside their studio. The result captures the same sense of curiosity and delight that defines the chair itself, like flipping through a sketchbook that suddenly becomes reality. Debuting at ICFF 2025 in New York City, The Loopy Chair continues the studio’s tradition of creating limited-edition objects that blend art, performance, and design. True to its ethos, the chair is released in a small batch, with no restocks — a collectible moment frozen in line, loop, and color.


a sketch turned seat — Loopy Chair brings a line doodle into 3D form


a single looping line becomes a sculptural object for sitting


bold curves and clean lines are engineered from a continuous tubular frame


powder-coated steel ensures durability

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the chair’s shape has no start or end, like a closed loop in space

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xUcV_HrBtNg

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a miniature photoshoot recreates its playful essence at studio scale


childlike spontaneity meets high-quality fabrication


a surreal grassy set captures the chair’s glossy loopy volumes

 

project info:

 

name: The Loopy Chair

designer: Nik Bentel Studio | @nikbentelstudio

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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massimiliano & doriana fuksas wrap cantori’s dune-inspired samira armchair with eco-leather https://www.designboom.com/design/massimiliano-doriana-fuksas-wrap-cantori-dune-inspired-samira-armchair-eco-leather-05-28-2025/ Wed, 28 May 2025 09:10:09 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1134591 sitting on Samira's steel frame and eco-leather upholstery is like surrendering to a moment of peace, enveloped in the warm tones of sand at sunset.

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cantori carries ancient arab tradition with samira

 

Samira, a project by Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas, carries with it the ancient Arab tradition: she is the one who listens and tells stories in the stillness of the night, a guardian beneath starry skies. The armchair’s design draws inspiration from the magic of the desert, where silence and light shape forms and nuances. Sitting on Samira’s steel frame and eco-leather upholstery is like surrendering to a moment of peace, enveloped in the warm tones of sand at sunset, as the dunes seem to hover in still balance. 


Cantori presents Samira, a project by Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas | all images courtesy of Cantori

 

 

Doriana e Massimiliano Fuksas for cantori

 

Cantori, founded in the heart of Marche, an Italian region renowned for its rich artisanal heritage, has been representing excellence in furniture production since 1976. With a dedication to quality and design, Cantori has been able to distinguish itself on the international luxury furniture scene, offering collections ranging from classic to contemporary furniture. Thanks to the company’s philosophy, Cantori has become synonymous with the best of Made in Italy craftsmanship around the world.

 

In 2025, Cantori partners with Massimiliano Fuksas and Doriana Fuksas for Samira. Both born in Rome, the Italian architects form one of the most influential duos in the global architecture and design scene. After earning his architecture degree in 1969, Fuksas, driven by curiosity and a rebellious spirit, became involved with Archigram, the radical London-based architectural movement. He later moved to Denmark, where he gained valuable experience working with renowned architects Henning Larsen and Jørn Utzon.


the sketch by Massimiliano and Doriana that brought Samira to life

 

 

The material contrast, featuring a weather-resistant tubular steel frame and eco-leather upholstery in various shades, becomes an expression of a formal exploration that harmonizes style with tradition, meeting the aesthetic and functional demands of contemporary living with balance and grace.

 

Samira marks the beginning of a series of new interpretations that Cantori is planning for the near future – objects that transcend mere function to become sensory experiences, embracing a balance between craftsmanship and technology.


Samira carries with it the ancient Arab tradition


the armchair’s design draws inspiration from the magic of the desert

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this project marks the beginning of a series of new interpretations that Cantori is planning for the near future


the material contrast features a weather-resistant tubular steel frame and eco-leather upholstery in various shades

 

 

project info:

 

name: Samira

company: Cantori | @cantori_spa

design: Massimiliano & Doriana Fuksas | @fuksas_architects

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vondom and jean-maire massaud give form to calm with pasadena outdoor collection https://www.designboom.com/design/vondom-jean-maire-massaud-pasadena-modular-outdoor-furniture-collection-05-23-2025/ Fri, 23 May 2025 09:00:16 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1133655 pasadena, designed by jean-marie massaud for vondom, introduces a collection of outdoor furniture defined by modularity and generous softness.

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PASADENA BALANCES PROPORTION, COMFORT, AND CALM

 

Pasadena, designed by Jean-Marie Massaud for Vondom,  introduces a collection of outdoor furniture defined by architectural clarity and a tactile softness. Composed of a modular sofa, lounge chair, sun lounger, and side table, the family harmonizes clean geometry with inviting comfort. The defining feature lies in the interplay of generous contours and visual lightness, creating a lasting presence suited to both exterior and interior settings.


Jean-Marie Massaud designs Pasadena for Vondom | all images courtesy of Vondom

 

 

VONDOM’S DESIGN PHILOSOPHY MEETS MASSAUD’S VISION

 

Known for its dialogue between form, environment, and lifestyle, Vondom continues its design-driven trajectory with Pasadena. With high-quality materials and a contemporary aesthetic, the Spanish brand shapes indoor-outdoor collections that embody elegance, ease, and durability. Their ongoing collaboration with Massaud — one of today’s leading voices in furniture design — reflects a shared ethos: to design objects that feel as good as they function.


a shared ethos, to design objects that feel as good as they function, define the outdoor collection

 

 

INDOOR SPIRIT WITH OUTDOOR RESILIENCE

 

The Pasadena collection is crafted with aluminium, polyurethane, and advanced weatherproof fabrics, building on Vondom’s expertise with outdoor-ready materials. Each element has been engineered for structural integrity and softness, offering a level of comfort typically reserved for indoor environments. The resulting pieces adapt effortlessly from terraces and gardens to living rooms and lounges, maintaining a consistent visual language of calm and sophistication.

 

Pasadena evokes what Massaud calls generous comfort, never in competition to aesthetics. It is a series of enveloping forms with soft profiles and proportional purity, where a sense of calm is expressed through subtle gestures and intentional detailing rather than flourish. ‘This balance,’ he notes, ‘is the key to timelessness’ — objects that last beyond trend in both appearance and experience.


Pasadena’s modular system adapts to a range of indoor and outdoor settings

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refined materials withstand the elements without compromising comfort


clean geometry meets enveloping proportions in Vondom’s new collection


the Pasadena collection brings architectural clarity to outdoor living

 

 

project info:

collection: Pasadena

company: Vondom | @vondomslu

designer: Jean-Marie Massaud | @jm_massaud

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SO — IL’s nine chapel tower in brooklyn hosts a series of design installations by verso https://www.designboom.com/design/so-il-nine-chapel-brooklyn-verso-05-18-2025/ Sun, 18 May 2025 03:10:18 +0000 https://www.designboom.com/?p=1133461 verso returns to NYC with a site-specific takeover at nine chapel, a brooklyn condominium designed by SO — IL and developed by tankhouse.

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verso arrives in brooklyn with three shows

 

Verso returns to New York with a site-specific takeover at Nine Chapel, a Brooklyn condominium designed by SO — IL and developed by Tankhouse. The exhibition coincides with New York Design Week and brings Verso’s distinctive curatorial approach into dialogue with architecture, inhabiting three private residences and the resident lounge of the fourteen-story tower. The interplay between Verso and Nine Chapel unfolds not as a staging of objects within interiors, but as a full immersion into crafted domestic environments shaped by both artistic vision and architectural rigor.

 

The exhibitions are open to the public from May 16th to 23rd, 2025. Visitors are invited to explore Nine Chapel as both a built project and an evolving exhibition, where architecture becomes the connective tissue between design practices from across the globe.

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Nine Chapel features a shimmering, undulated facade made of perforated aluminum | image © Val Flores

 

 

verso anchors itself in SO – IL’s architecture

 

The decision to stage exhibitions inside Nine Chapel marks a shift in scale and context for Verso, which has often moved fluidly between galleries and informal spaces. At Nine Chapel, the gallery aligns itself with the architecture’s formal and material sensibility. SO – IL’s design lends the building a distinctive presence in the Brooklyn skyline, its undulating facade of perforated aluminum subtly catching and diffusing the light. For Verso, this textured surface became an echo of PASTO, a years-long collaboration with Argentine studio RIES, whose cast aluminum works form the centerpiece of the ground-floor exhibition.

verso nine chapel
all images © Ben DeHaan (unless otherwise stated)

 

 

Pasto by Ries

 

Verso introduces PASTO in Nine Chapel’s resident lounge, connecting the tactile language of the building’s skin to RIES’ exploration of time, land, and transformation. Developed over three years, the project involved casting aluminum using native grasses from the Argentine Pampas as lost molds. Each object preserves the imprint of a fragile material made permanent through fire and metal. The lounge becomes more than a shared amenity — it is reimagined as a vessel for memory, holding sculptural works alongside a documentary and book that trace the conceptual and geographic origins of the project.

verso nine chapel
Verso takes over three residences and the resident lounge of Nine Chapel

 

 

Wentz

 

In Nine Chapel’s Penthouse B, Verso presents the first U.S. showcase of Brazilian brand Wentz. Known for its refined material palette and nature-infused minimalism, the studio brings a contemplative presence to the residence. Furniture and lighting crafted from Brazilian woods, cane, and recycled textiles engage with the surrounding light and open skyline views. At the core of this installation is WE—KNIT, a proprietary 3D-woven fabric made from ocean-harvested PET bottles. The apartment feels composed in quiet layers, a spatial translation of Wentz’s ethos of ‘silent and natural living.’

verso nine chapel
the PASTO exhibition includes sculptural pieces, a documentary video, and a research-based book

 

 

Verso & Friends

 

On the building’s tenth floor, Verso curates a second edition of Verso & Friends, the evolving group exhibition first launched at 96 King in Red Hook. The duplex is transformed into a fluid studio-like space, shaped by contributions from a network of artists and designers in conversation with Nine Chapel’s geometries and finishes. Pieces are placed with sensitivity to scale and proportion, allowing the architecture to frame each object without overpowering it. The project reads as a living archive of ongoing creative exchange, temporarily embedded within the condominium.

verso nine chapel
Verso presents PASTO by RIES in the resident lounge with cast aluminum works using native grasses

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the project reimagines residential interiors as living spaces for architectural and artistic dialogue

verso nine chapel
Verso and Friends transforms a tenth floor duplex into a collective design exhibition

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Wentz makes its US debut with a penthouse installation of minimalist Brazilian furniture and lighting

 

project info:

 

exhibition title: PASTO, WENTZ, VERSO & FRIENDS

gallery: Verso | @verso_works

location: Nine Chapel | @ninechapel

architect: SO – IL | @solidobjectives

photography: © Ben DeHaan | @ben__dehaan

 

featured artists: 

Alex Proba | @alexproba
Alice Aroeira | @alice_aroeira_
Caroline Kable | @carolinekable
Cooper Goldman | @cooper.goldman
Frank Magnotta | @f.magnotta
Ivana Brenner | @ivanabrennner
Mike Serra | @serrastuff
NM3 | @nm3.xyz
Office of Tangible Space | @tangible.space
Palma design studio | @palma_palma_palma_
Sfrido Estate | @sfridoestate
Soft Witness | @softwitness
Studio Atomic | @studioatomic
Willo Perron for No Ga | @willoperron, @nordiskagalleriet
Young Projects | @young_projects
Yuxuan Huang | @yuxuan_huang__

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