Desafinado Mainc by Cass Saldanha is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Gwobr Efydd A' Design Award in Dylunio Dodrefn Competition Category.
EfyddDodrefn· 2026
Desafinado Mainc
Client: SAL+Co
Gwobr Efydd A' Design Award Winner in Dodrefn Category
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- Verified Award Winner
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The Design
About Desafinado Mainc
Mae Desafinado yn fainc a ddyluniwyd fel astudiaeth mewn cydbwysedd ac ymatal. Mae'r ffurf yn dilyn eglurder Sgandinafaidd, gyda llinellau syth a geometreg syml, wedi'u cyfuno â phwysau ac uniongyrchedd moderniaeth frwtalaidd Brasil. Mae cyfrannau isel yn gwahodd ystum hamddenol, ac mae'r rhaniad rhwng y sedd a'r cefn yn creu tensiwn gweledol. Mae bargod bwriadol yn cydbwyso'r sedd a'r cefn i gyfeiriadau dirgroes. Gwneir y fainc bron yn gyfan gwbl o dderw Ewropeaidd gyda staen du, ac mae clustog denau wedi'i phwytho â llaw mewn lledr cyfrwy o Frasil yn cwblhau'r sedd.
The Recognition
About the Gwobr Efydd A' Design Award
Mae Desafinado Mainc yn enillydd Gwobr Efydd A' Design Award, cydnabyddiaeth hynod fawreddog a roddir i ddyluniadau rhagorol sydd yn nodedig am greadigrwydd, dyfeisgarwch a chraffter. Mae enillwyr Efydd yn arteffactau medrus iawn a thrawiadol o greadigol sydd yn dilysu profiad helaeth, dychymyg a dyfeisgarwch eu dylunwyr. Disgwylir i Desafinado Mainc fod yn wrthrych uchel ei fri, a edmygir ac a anwylir, sydd yn nodedig o broffesiynol ac arloesol. Mae'r dyluniad buddugol hwn o Wobr Efydd A' Design Award yn ymgorffori arferion gorau mewn celf, gwyddoniaeth, dylunio a thechnoleg, ac yn rhagorol am ei sylw i fanylion. Mae Desafinado Mainc yn bodloni anghenion yn odidog, yn cyffwrdd â dyheadau, yn swyno teimladau ac yn apelio at chwilfrydedd.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The Desafinado bench is conceived as a study in balance and restraint. Rooted in Scandinavian design, it relies on simple, straight lines and clear geometry. The low-lying proportions invite a relaxed posture, while the split between back and seat creates a visual tension. An intentional overhang balances the extended seat and back to opposite directions, turning structure into function.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Materials:
Black Stained Oak
Seat in saddle leather
Dimensions:
Width: 130 inches or 39624 mm
Depth: 16 inches or 4876.8 mm
Height: 22 inches or 6705.6 mm
Seat Height: 12 inches or 3657.6 mm - Tags
- Bench, Brazilian, wood, Balance, furniture
- Production Technology
- The bench is built almost entirely from a single material: European oak. Finished with a black stain, the wood emphasizes grain, mass, and shadow. This restrained material choice reinforces the clarity of the design, allowing form, proportion, and structure to define the piece without distraction.
The bench is complemented with a thin, hand-stitched seat cushion upholstered in authentic Brazilian saddle leather forced from local small business. - Inspiration
- The piece draws from Scandinavian clarity, but it is grounded in Brazilian brutalist modernism. Its forms are direct and architectural rather than delicate or refined. The bench avoids excessive polish, embracing weight, presence, and material honesty. This subtle roughness distinguishes it from Japanese minimalism and reinforces its brutalist character.
- Project Duration
- Conceived in Miami in 2022, the project evolved through an intensive four-month prototyping phase and reached its final form in August of that year. The bench exists as a true one-of-one piece; all remaining prototypes were deliberately destroyed upon completion, reinforcing its singularity.
- Operation Flow
- Beyond simple seating, the Desafinado Bench invites multiple uses: a surface to recline or stretch, a platform for books and objects, or an architectural element that works as a space divider or low table. It shifts easily between function and presence, adapting to the way the body and the room engage with it.
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to Cass Saldanha, 2022.
This design is available for reproduction. Please contact the Designer if you have interest in discuss intellectual property and licensing the rights. - Image Credits
- Cassiano Saldanha
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