Press Release
Bronze A' Design Award in Furniture Design Goes to Aeriform Armchair by Kristian Ruden
The international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Kristian Ruden for furniture design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 19, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Bronze A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category for Aeriform Armchair by Kristian Ruden. The award was conferred within the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The Bronze A' Design Award Explained
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
Regarding Aeriform Armchair
The Aeriform Armchair redefines comfort with its innovative approach to ergonomics and design. Conceived in virtual reality and informed by anthropometric studies, this chair offers versatile seating options, from relaxed lounging and sideways leisure to upright support. Its seamless design features effortless rotation and a springy base for a soothing rock. Crafted with a fiberglass shell, plush upholstery, and high-quality fabric or leather, Aeriform blends sophisticated presence with practical functionality, making it a standout addition to modern interiors.
About Kristian Ruden
Kristian Ruden is a Czech designer with expertise in luxury, industrial, and product design. His work spans sustainable, functional designs and high-end, bespoke creations, integrating craftsmanship and advanced technologies. With a background from the Czech Technical University in Prague (ČVUT), his portfolio includes interior design, lighting, sculptural furniture, and custom luxury pieces. Ruden's approach balances aesthetics with functionality, emphasizing durability and client customization. His work reflects a commitment to merging innovation with timeless design principles, catering to a wide range of design needs.
Award Record
This recognition makes Kristian Ruden a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Furniture Design Award
The A' Furniture Design Award is an international furniture competition recognizing good furniture designs by best furniture designers worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to furniture designers, product designers, industrial design studios and furniture brands from all countries. Typical entries include chairs, tables, sofas, beds, cabinets and shelves. The awarded furniture designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/furniture
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/163941
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/163941
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!163941
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/358622
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://ruden.framer.website/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Aeriform Armchair
- Function
- Armchair
- Category
- Furniture Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Furniture & Home
- Colors
- Black, Dark Slate Gray, Light Slate Gray, Dim Gray and Slate Gray
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Kristian Ruden
- Country
- Czech Republic
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #163941
Credits
- Image Credits
- Creator Kristian Ruden, Photo of Aeriform, 2024; Creator Kristian Ruden, Render of Aeriform, 2024
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- The Aeriform is a luxury seating design focused on both comfort and aesthetic appeal. Its form draws inspiration from aerodynamic shapes, offering a sculptural presence. Crafted from high-quality materials, the armchair is designed with ergonomic support in mind. The use of innovative materials and precise craftsmanship sets it apart, blending artistry with functionality. Its unique design serves as both a functional piece and a statement of elegance, making it suitable for high-end interiors.
- Inspiration
- The Aeriform Armchair draws inspiration from the natural elegance of bird wings, evoking the feeling of an embrace. Designed entirely within virtual reality, the form was conceived from a flowing, ribbon like structure suspended in space. Influenced by Pierre Paulin’s Ribbon Chair, the design was further refined to create a more imposing and luxurious piece. Extensive prototyping and ergonomic testing via jigs and models were undertaken to ensure optimal comfort across various seating angles.
- Research
- Research started with ergonomics. Drawing inspiration from anthropometry books and personal tests on a special jig constructed to allow for change in seat and backrest positioning and change of angles. From that data was constructed a 3D "skeleton" of the armchair and then iterations took place in virtual reality. Testing was performed with people ages 18-60 as the main target demographic. First 1:1 model was made out of polystyrene and tested as well. Drawing conclusion on overall dimensions.
- Challenge
- Main challenge was the lack of proper studies of comfort in anthropometric books. While ergonomy is well documented, there isn't much information abou comfort. Ergonomy looks at things from 2 dimensions, and while it's a good start, seating is usually a dynamic activity for the body and needs to be studied in 3-4 dimensions. Thats why personal testing on the jig was conducted.
- Realization and Technology
- The prototype started with a foam core, CNC-milled from XPS foam and assembled with adhesive foam. It was sanded smooth, coated with epoxy resin, and layered with fiberglass for a strong shell. The base and legs were laser-cut steel, welded, and finished with a 3D-printed shell. The frame was padded with foam and batting, then covered with a precisely cut and sewn fabric. Finally, the chair was assembled with its base, lazy Susan, and headrest cushions.
- Operation and Interaction
- The Armchair is designed for ease and comfort, promoting a natural seating posture. Its flowing structure supports the body, distributing weight evenly and allowing various sitting angles, such as sideways or with legs crossed. No complex adjustments are needed; interaction is intuitive. A Lazy Susan facilitates movement and fidgeting, while the springy base offers a rocking motion. The design combines aesthetic elegance with practical functionality for a comfortable and inviting experience.
- Project Duration and Location
- Work on the project began in December 2023 and came to conclusion in June 2024 as the main focus of the diploma project.
- Specifications
- Amchair sports 3 layer fiberglass frame with XPS foam core, various thickness and hardness of PU padding foam, fabric/leather upholstery with a single seam running around the edge. Base is done in steel with a 3D printed shell (time saving measures during prototype creation). Dimensions of armchair: 1026 x 931x 1135 Dimensions of ottoman: 687 x 571 x 409
- Keywords
- Armchair, sculptural, ergonomic, luxury, comfort, presence, high-end, dynamic, aerodynamic, seating
