Modular, flexible furniture helps steady spaces against changing user and programmatic needs. These armchair and sofa designs prompt a more agile look at how seating can – and should – function. 

Photo: Workshop for Digital Photography, University of Applied Arts Vienna

BALLAST

Anton Defant

After updating the ‘ugly’ camping chair, Anton Defant developed Ballast, a sofa whose similar folding mechanisms make it possible to quickly collapse the structure into a slim package that can be toted around like a backpack, aligning with the rise of small living spaces and nomadic lifestyles. Considering post-use, Defant ensured the sofa’s materials and components can be easily separated.

Photo: M. Cherepanov

DICE

Kosmos 

Stool? Coffee table? Footrest? Lamp? Dice is both all and none of these objects. The hybrid oak wood product from the architects at Kosmos invites users to ‘roll the dice’, so to speak, creating different shapes depending on how they orientate it. Dice combines man- and machine-power: its form was crafted using robotics, while the grinding and oiling processes were carried out by hand.  

ARRAY

MDF Italia

Snøhetta and MDF Italia partnered up to create a sofa system that prioritizes flexibility, comfort and sustainability. Array features slim, interconnected modules that adapt to various configurations, designed for easy disassembly, repair, replacement and recycling. With an injection-moulded base and a high percentage of recycled materials, the lightweight structure minimizes environmental impact.

BÌADE

Federica Breedveld Bortolozzo 

Bìade’s two components make the product capable of functioning as either a chair or a side table while reducing the number of processes required for its manufacture. Designer Federica Breedveld Bortolozzo ensured no screws or glue are needed for assembly: the steel backrest simply slides onto the curved birch plywood structure. Users can personalize their chair with a cotton cover made by a social enterprise that empowers women.

 CANTO

Sancal

Canto is the result of an exploration into the question: How can a modular seating solution be created using just one module? Mut Design simplified complexity for Sancal, combining the curvature for which they’re known with a square base to form a backrest and a seat. The shape’s modularity enables infinite seating configurations: sofas, armchairs, islands and more.