Triad Stool by Mingbo Hou and Ruoyou Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Silver A' Design Award in Furniture Design Competition Category.
SilverFurniture· 2025
Triad Stool
Client: Mingbo Hou and Ruoyou Zhou
Silver A' Design Award Winner in Furniture Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #171667The Design
About Triad Stool
Triad is a stool designed with triangular geometry to provide stability while optimizing space. Made from bent and welded metal sheets, it has a durable structure and a slightly concave seat for comfort. Its light form allows for easy movement, making it suitable for different places. With no assembly required, Triad is designed for use in homes, cafes, and shared spaces. Its geometric design ensures material efficiency while keeping a practical approach to seating.
The Recognition
About the Silver A' Design Award
Triad Stool is a Silver A' Design Award winner, an extraordinarily prestigious recognition granted to top-of-the-line, gorgeous, and impressive designs. Silver winners are tremendously brilliant and exceedingly creative works that illustrate the outstanding expertise, talent, and acuity of their designers. Triad Stool is expected to be a wonderful, showpiece work that is remarkably professional and profoundly innovative. This Silver A' Design Award-winning design is a highly notable, admired invention that benefits and advances the boundaries of art, science, design, and technology. Triad Stool is a vastly envied creation that evokes desires, introduces positive feelings, and sparks amazement and wonderment.
Where to Get It
Award-Winning Product Design Studio
We specialize in creating innovative product designs that seamlessly blend cultural inspiration with modern functionality. Our studio delivers end-to-end design solutions across furniture, home goods, and consumer products, emphasizing sustainability and user experience. Partner with us for designs that resonate with your market.
Request QuoteInterviews
Grand Interview
Your innovative approach to triangular geometry in the Triad Stool has earned you a Silver A' Design Award - could you share the journey that led to choosing this distinctive three-sided form for modern living spaces?
The triangular geometry was chosen as both a structural and symbolic element. Structurally, a triangle offers natural stability with minimal material use — ideal for compact modern interiors. Conceptually, the three sides represent balance among function, form, and emotion. I wanted to express how a simple geometric form could serve as an elegant foundation for human-centered design.
The Triad Stool's seamless integration of stability and space efficiency is remarkable - how did your research into user experiences and ergonomics influence the final angles and dimensions of the design?
Through ergonomic studies and scale modeling, I found that subtle adjustments to seat height and leg inclination could significantly affect both comfort and visual balance. The stool’s compact footprint was refined to support various sitting postures while maintaining a sense of openness. Every dimension was validated through user testing to ensure intuitive comfort without visual heaviness.
The precision required in the CNC bending and TIG welding of the Triad Stool must have presented unique challenges - could you elaborate on how you achieved the perfect balance between structural integrity and material efficiency?
I approached the design as a dialogue between engineering and craft. Using CNC bending allowed for consistent curvature and reduced waste, while TIG welding provided seamless joints that enhanced both strength and aesthetics. Finite element simulations and load tests guided the material thickness, ensuring maximum durability with minimum steel usage.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Triad is a thoughtfully designed stool that addresses the challenges of compact living by offering a stable, space-efficient, and visually refined seating solution. Inspired by triangular geometry, it blends structural strength with aesthetic appeal. The precisely angled metal sheets enhance durability, while the gently contoured seat improves ergonomic comfort. Its seamless triangular form ensures both stability and elegance, making it an ideal addition to modern interiors.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Dimensions: W 350 mm × D 303 mm × H 450 mm
Material: Laser-cut steel
Weight: Approx. 2.5 kg
Assembly: Fully welded, no additional installation required - Tags
- Minimalist design, triangular geometry, metal furniture, modern interior, ergonomic, space-saving, durable, sustainable, CNC machining, laser cutting
- Production Technology
- Triad is manufactured using laser-cut metal sheets, CNC bending techniques, and TIG welding assembly. It is available in various finishes and colors to complement different interior styles.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenges of this project included optimizing structural strength while minimizing material usage and maintaining the visual and functional harmony of the triangular form. Precision in metal fabrication was also crucial, particularly in CNC bending and welding, to ensure consistent angles. Through multiple prototype iterations and structural testing, the final design achieved a refined, stable, and visually striking form.
- Research
- This project integrates user experience research with material engineering analysis. The goal was to develop a stool that balances stability, aesthetics, and sustainability. User interviews and ergonomic testing helped determine the optimal seat angle for comfort. The findings confirmed that the triangular geometry significantly enhances load-bearing capacity, while precision metal fabrication ensures long-term durability and efficient production feasibility.
- Inspiration
- Triad is crafted from bent and welded metal sheets, featuring clean lines and a focus on durability and eco-friendliness. Inspired by the geometric beauty of triangles, the design emphasizes stability and balance, while its minimalist form reflects the need for functional yet elegant solutions in modern living spaces.
- Project Duration
- The project began in October 2024 in Okinawa, was completed in December 2024.
- Operation Flow
- Triad is designed for direct use with no assembly required. Its triangular geometry ensures high stability, while its lightweight metal structure allows easy repositioning. The ergonomic seat provides comfortable seating, making it suitable for various settings, including homes, cafés, and public spaces.
- Team Members
- Ruoyou Zhou
- Image Credits
- Creative direction and brief: Mingbo Hou & Ruoyou Zhou.
Photographer:Hiroto Nakamura , Ruoyou Zhou & Mingbo Hou.
Sponsored
Explore Beyond Designers.org
Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.
More to Explore
Related Designs
Explore more award-winning designs from the same category, selected by merit.
