Marka Multifunctional Chair by Adel Alserhani is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Bronze A' Design Award in Furniture Design Competition Category.
BronzeFurniture· 2025
Marka Multifunctional Chair
Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Furniture Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #161622The Design
About Marka Multifunctional Chair
Introducing the Modular Armrest, a seating solution for two that effortlessly converts into a legless chair without screws or glue. This playful design encourages dynamic seating arrangements and a healthy lifestyle. Inspired by the camel saddle used by Bedouin nomads, it blends cultural heritage with modern aesthetics. Ideal for both indoor and outdoor use, especially in regions like the Middle East and Asia, this piece fosters social interaction and comfort, inviting users to enjoy communal seating in a fun and engaging way.
The Recognition
About the Bronze A' Design Award
Marka Multifunctional Chair is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Marka Multifunctional Chair is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Marka Multifunctional Chair splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.
Where to Get It
Cultural Furniture Design Services
We create meaningful furniture that bridges cultural heritage with contemporary living. Our award-winning designs transform traditional concepts into functional modern pieces. From concept to realization, we bring storytelling and cultural depth to every project.
Discuss Your ProjectInterviews
Grand Interview
Your innovative approach to addressing urban loneliness through the Marka Multifunctional Chair's dual-position design is fascinating - could you elaborate on how this cultural fusion between traditional Bedouin furniture and contemporary social needs emerged during your creative process?
For Marka part of the first step of the design was to make " what the culture needs " and from there it start to evolve around the question of " How the culture used to be?" from there the process start to be more of linking needs and applying creative ways of approaching the form and function of the design . It was an organic yet magical state of mind doing the design .
The Marka Multifunctional Chair's seamless transformation from a two-person floor seating to a legless chair without screws or glue is remarkable - what inspired this specific mechanical solution, and how did you overcome the engineering challenges to achieve this fluid convertibility?
I always had interest in modular design , even the DIY ones and I mean the pre-historic human objects and how it evolves from using animals bones to spray paint on cave's wall , to the evolving of chair and ways of setting .The intention of the design was to try to keep it evolved around the modularity which is the same intentions for Bedouins at the begining , and the process after that was trying to make it happen by trying that on 3D softwares and prototypes .
Your research indicates shifting social dynamics in Riyadh influenced the Marka Multifunctional Chair's development - could you share specific insights from your social media studies and public space observations that shaped the final design features?
As Riyadh expands and grows busier, people seek to escape the city’s noise by camping under the moonlight in the desert. Marka offers a solution by serving as both indoor and outdoor furniture, allowing it to accompany people into the desert and be part of their moments of retreat.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Modular armrest for two persons could convert into legless chair without any use of screws or glue giving the user the ability to change positions in a healthy and fun way of assembling .The design is a modern floor seating inspired by camel saddle that have been use as an an armrest when bedouin nomads settle . Marka could be use as an outdoor furniture and as an indoor in another regions such as middle-east and asia where floor seating is more common.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- - Panel (A) H:50cm - W:50
- Panel (B) H:50 - W:40
- Cover : consist of three padded section connected by hidden level adjustable joinery .
- Triangular Pillow
First position (marka) : can be slides into each other as an X shape to be floor armrest .
Second Position ( legless chair ) : insert Panel B into Panel A to have legless chair and by using the padded cover and the triangular shaped pillow you have the ability to change between various body positions - Tags
- Floor seating , Cultural Furniture , Modular furniture , Lightweight, recycled, recyclable, suitable, cosy , Creative, innovative,
- Production Technology
- Keeping the flow of organic multi uses of this ancient furniture the designer intention is to develop from natural and recycled composite materials to reserved this amazing connection and harmony between land and humanity that trace back to the main inspiration of this design . the base of the piece will be made of 100% recycled and recyclable polypropylene recovered from local furniture production waste and the local auto- motive industry.
- Design Challenge
- Living in a massive and vast city such as Riyadh, with a population of almost 8 million, I have noticed a growing sense of loneliness among individuals. This might be due to the booming economy and rapid development across all sectors. However, it social effects have become more noticeable, with people feeling a sense of strangeness and not belonging. In our pursuit of progress, we must not forget the importance of maintaining the social fabric that binds us.To address this, we need to foster sharing and caring through genuine human interaction, reclaiming the sense of community that has always been a cornerstone of our identity. The motive behind this design challenge is not to force change but to provide a solution to this social phenomenon within an everyday product that everyone needs.
- Research
- The product sparks from Social and Behavioral Research that aims to explore the shift in social norms and traditions within Arab societies, focusing on the contrast between historical communal lifestyles and the contemporary situation. The study examines how these changes impact individual behavior and social well-being.the main goal is to Design an everyday object that encourages social interaction and strengthens the sharing spirit in ones life. This project should seamlessly integrate into daily life, promoting genuine connections and a sense of belonging.The research method form Marka was in Arab Literature and archived images and paintings from Orientalists on the other hand I ran few social studies on social media and public spaces and verbal interviews to have a sense of the general atmosphere among society and I noticed the following :
Economic Pressures: The pursuit of economic success and the demands of modern careers have shifted focus from communal to individual goals
Technology and Social Media: While these have connected people globally, they often contribute to physical isolation and superficial interactions.
mpact on Individuals:
Social Isolation: The weakening of traditional social networks can lead to feelings of loneliness and alienation.
Mental Health: Increased stress and mental health issues are linked to the loss of community support.
Identity and Belonging: Rapid cultural changes can lead to a crisis of identity and a diminished sense of belonging. - Inspiration
- In revisiting our visual memory, the bedouin lifestyle emerges as a profound influence on the concept of Marka. Constant traveling was not just a way of living it was a celebration of freedom, encapsulated by exploration and following the unknown. This Bedouin spirit manifested in the practical use of the design multipurpose, lightweight, and easy to transport.Originally, Marka used as a saddlery for camel riding. However, when bedouin communities settled, Marka transformed into a furniture piece . From this concept of multifunction and modularity I found the bridge that links this rooted product to a contemporary product all in one design .
- Project Duration
- Project started in September 2023 in Riyadh - Saudi Arabia . The prototypes started in early 2024.
- Operation Flow
- The First position of Marka is a call to have a dialogue with the others while the second position gives the modern need to have a moment for the individual .
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