Oruha Stoel by Yuya Nakazawa is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award yn Goud in Meubelûntwerp Competition Category.
GoudMeubels· 2026
Oruha Stoel
Client: Yedit
A' Design Award yn Goud Winner in Meubels Category
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- Verified Award Winner
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The Design
About Oruha Stoel
It ûntwerp presintearret in sitplak betocht as in iepenbiere geheime basis, dat persoanlik taflecht biedt binnen dielde omjouwings. De struktuer balansearret in sculpturale oanwêzigens mei funksjoneel komfort, en stipet langer gebrûk en sosjale ynteraksje. Kromme oerflakken en soarchfâldich proporsjonearre eleminten skeppe in gefoel fan omslúting, wylst se iepenheid behâlde. Natuerlike ôfwurkings ferbetterje duorsumens, ienfâldich ûnderhâld en gracieus âlder wurden, sadat it stik yntegrearret yn deistige libbensromten, wylst it tastbere waarmte behâldt.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award yn Goud
Oruha Stoel is in winner fan de A' Design Award yn Goud, in ekstreem prestisjeuze erkenning foar earste-klas, prachtige en treflike ûntwerpen. Goudwinners binne tige ynnovative, fisionêre en glamoureus ferbjusterjende skeppings dy't it sjeny, de wiisheid en de feardigens fan har ûntwerpers wjerspegelje. Fan Oruha Stoel wurdt ferwachte dat it in tige priizge, trendsettende en monumintale útfining is dy't unferlykbere wearde leveret. Dit winnende ûntwerp fan de A' Design Award yn Goud is in spektakulêr, respektearre projekt dat grutte foardielen bringt en de grinzen fan keunst, wittenskip, ûntwerp en technology ferleget. Oruha Stoel makket yntinse gefoelens fan begearte, stekt passy oan, stimulearret kreativiteit en fassinearret ús.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Oruha Chair proposes the idea of a private sanctuary within a public space.
While functioning as a sculptural object that shapes the surrounding environment, the chair transforms into an intimate personal zone when occupied.
The form could not have been achieved through linear or parametric design logic. Instead, it emerged through an iterative process of continuous adjustment between visual intensity and physical comfort. The armrests, which receive the most direct contact, maintain sharp visual edges while offering a gentle and secure tactile experience.
This balance allows the chair to exist simultaneously as spatial sculpture and functional furniture. - Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 740mm Depth 550mm Height 760mm Seated height 430mm
- Tags
- Chair, Furniture, Sculptural Design, Wood, Handmade, Emotional Design, Armchair, Spatial Object
- Production Technology
- Due to its complex organic geometry, Oruha Chair is extremely difficult to reproduce through industrial manufacturing or automated processes.
The chair was realized almost entirely by hand, using traditional Japanese planes and hand tools.
Rather than imposing a fixed form onto the material, the final shape emerged through direct dialogue with the wood, prioritizing tactile quality, structural integrity, and sculptural coherence. This process positions craftsmanship not as decoration, but as a design methodology. - Design Challenge
- After extensive sketching and the creation of five clay models, translating the form into wood presented a fundamental challenge. There was no established woodworking methodology capable of directly realizing the intended geometry.
Through repeated trial and error, two full-scale prototypes were abandoned before completing this third iteration.
Because of the organic form, conventional symmetry, reference points, and measurement systems proved ineffective. Ultimately, the process required trusting sensory judgment and material feedback over numerical precision. This approach became inseparable from the final outcome. - Research
- The designer’s background in video editing strongly influenced the conceptual framework of this project. Video editing is a practice of shaping emotional perception by controlling sequence, rhythm, and context.
Oruha Chair applies this editorial thinking to three-dimensional form.
Personal emotions and experiences were deconstructed and reassembled, not as narrative, but as physical tension, curvature, and spatial presence. The result is a chair that communicates emotionally through form rather than explanation. - Inspiration
- Oruha Chair was inspired by the concept of waves, representing continuous transitions between tension and release.
Rather than designing a chair solely from ergonomic data or predefined typologies, this project approaches seating as an emotional and spatial experience shaped by contrast.
The form was developed as a response to the designer’s belief that emotions, like waves, can be edited, reorganized, and translated into physical presence. These transitions were carved directly into solid wood as flowing yet controlled organic curves.
Although the chair presents an edgy, sculptural appearance, sitting in it reveals a smooth, enveloping comfort. This intentional reversal between visual tension and bodily softness defines the core experience of Oruha Chair. - Project Duration
- The project began in Kanagawa in January 2025 and ended in October 2025.
- Operation Flow
- Despite its expressive form, Oruha Chair provides stable and comfortable seating suitable for extended use.
Structural stability and load distribution were carefully examined through repeated physical testing, ensuring that the sculptural design does not compromise safety or usability.
Unlike many sculptural chairs that discourage everyday use, Oruha Chair is intended to be touched, sat on, and lived with. - Image Credits
- Photography: Photographer Mitsuaki Takahashi, 2025
Video credit: Video editor Yuya Nakazawa, 2025
Sound: Soundtrack Composer Heitaro Ashibe, 2025
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