Balanco Canapé by Daniel Coutinho is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award d'Argent in Design de Mobilier Competition Category.

ArgentMobilier· 2026

Balanco Canapé

by Daniel Coutinho

Client: Daniel Coutinho Estudio

A' Design Award d'Argent Winner in Mobilier Category

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Verified Award Winner
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The Design

About Balanco Canapé

Balanco est un canapé modulaire conçu pour les intérieurs contemporains. Son nom fait référence au porte-à-faux, le principe structurel utilisé pour alléger le poids perçu de la pièce. Balanco associe une assise rembourrée suspendue, un dossier en bois massif et une table d'appoint intégrée en pierre naturelle reposant sur un support métallique. Les points d'appui visibles sont réduits au minimum, si bien que ce volume imposant paraît léger. Le bois massif, le laiton, la pierre, le lin, le cuir et le velours créent un contraste entre la densité des matériaux et la légèreté visuelle. La longueur totale est de 3500 mm.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Argent

Balanco Canapé est lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Argent, une reconnaissance énormément prestigieuse décernée à des designs haut de gamme, superbes et impressionnants. Les lauréats Argent sont des œuvres tout à fait brillantes et extrêmement créatives qui illustrent l'expertise, le talent et la perspicacité remarquables de leurs concepteurs. Balanco Canapé est censé être une œuvre merveilleuse, une vitrine de savoir-faire, remarquablement professionnelle et profondément innovante. Ce design lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Argent est une invention très notable et admirée, qui sert l'art, la science, le design et la technologie et en repousse les limites. Balanco Canapé est une création très enviée qui éveille les désirs, apporte des sentiments positifs et suscite émerveillement et étonnement.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The structure was conceived to minimize visible support points, reducing the perception of weight in a large-scale piece. The contrast between dense materials and the resulting formal lightness establishes a distinctive structural language. The intentional misalignment reinforces its identity, while the cantilevered side table, supported by a metal base, enhances the sense of suspension and lightness.
Dimensions & Packaging: Modular system composed of a suspended upholstered base, structural solid wood backrest, and integrated natural stone side table with metal support.
Total length: 3500mm Depth: 920mm Seat height: 430mm Total height: 665mm Side table: Total length 700mm:Depth: 700mm
Tags: structural lightness, contemporary furniture, Brazilian design, modular sofa, noble materials, structural cantilever, sophistication, authorial design, material contrast, elegance
Production Technology: The structure was designed with strategic load distribution and visually minimized support points, allowing the suspension effect while maintaining structural integrity. The upholstery uses multi-density foams and coverings in linen, leather, and velvet, applied using advanced upholstery techniques. The combination of structural engineering and construction precision transforms high-density materials into a visually light and continuous expression.
Design Challenge: The challenge was to transform a large-scale piece into a visually lightweight volume, requiring structural refi nement, iterative prototyping, and precise control of proportions and materials. The result demonstrates how engineering and design work together to redefi ne structural perception in contemporary furniture.
Research: Applied research in furniture design focused on the relationship between structure, materiality, and visual perception. The objective was to investigate how structural cantilever and material combinations could reduce the perceived weight of upholstered pieces. The methodology included formal analysis, material experimentation, 3D modeling, and prototyping. The results show that balancing structure and materials redefi nes visual perception, contributing to new approaches in contemporary design.
Inspiration: Architectural and structural references guided the development of a solution that explores visual suspension as a design language. Throughout the process, the investigation of the interaction between solid wood, brass, stone, linen, leather, and velvet guided the search for material balance, where the contrast between physical density and visual lightness defi nes the expression and identity of the piece.
Project Duration: The project was developed over two months at the brand’s studio in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The process involved conceptual investigation, structural development, and material experimentation, focusing on the integration of visual lightness, stability, and balance between different materials, resulting in a solution that combines technical rigor and contemporary expression.
Operation Flow: The sofa integrates the seat and side table into a continuous composition, where the cantilevered element expands its functionality without compromising visual lightness. The structure was conceived to reduce the perception of weight, creating a sense of suspension. Unlike conventional solutions, the solid wood backrest is treated as an essential part of the design, allowing the piece to be freely positioned and appreciated from all angles within the space.
Image Credits: Image 1: photographer: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026, Image 2: photographer: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026, Image 3: photographer: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026, Image 4: photographer: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026.
Video: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026.