Flip Cathair Chruth-atharrachail by Niko Kapa

Flip Cathair Chruth-atharrachail by Niko Kapa is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Duais Iarainn A' Design Award in Dealbhadh Àirneis Competition Category.

IarannÀirneis· 2025

Flip Cathair Chruth-atharrachail

by Niko Kapa

Client: Snk

Duais Iarainn A' Design Award Winner in Àirneis Category

12,116

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #166217

Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Flip Cathair Chruth-atharrachail

Le prionnsabal de theannachadh stuthan agus glaineachd cruth, tha càileachd an dealbhaidh stèidhichte air paisgean agus loidhnichean geoimeatrach a tha a' leantainn gu eadar-cheangal de phàirtean eadar-dhealaichte a tha uile a' frithealadh na gnìomh. Tha an dealbhadh a' leigeil leis a' chathair gluasad eadar suidheachaidhean eadar-dhealaichte agus freagairt do dh'fhaireachdainnean agus feumalachdan an neach-cleachdaidh, leis gum faodar a cruth-atharrachadh dìreach le bhith ga tionndadh. Chan eil dad gun adhbhar agus tha na h-eileamaidean fa leth ag obair còmhla gus structar aotrom ach ro chruaidh a chruthachadh.

The Recognition

About the Duais Iarainn A' Design Award

Tha Flip Cathair Chruth-atharrachail air Duais Iarainn A' Design Award a bhuannachadh, aithneachadh urramach a bheirear do dhealbhaidhean math a choinnicheas ris na riatanasan proifeiseanta is gnìomhachais a thathar a' sùileachadh bho chruthachaidhean a chaidh an dealbhadh gu math. Tha buannaichean Iarainn a' nochdadh sgil mhòr, speisealachadh àrd, tuigse eòlaiche agus comas cruthachail an luchd-cruthachaidh. Thathar an dùil gum bi Flip Cathair Chruth-atharrachail na chruthachadh air a bheil mòran meas, ion-mholta agus gràdhach a tha practaigeach agus ùr-ghnàthach. Tha an dealbhadh seo a bhuannaich Duais Iarainn A' Design Award a' cur nan cleachdaidhean as fheàrr sa ghnìomhachas còmhla agus tha feartan teignigeach comasach aige ceangailte ri eòlas-dèanamh agus tàlant. Tha meas air Flip Cathair Chruth-atharrachail airson a dhùrachd agus chaidh a dhealbhadh gus leasachaidhean càileachd beatha a thoirt seachad a chuidicheas le bhith a' dèanamh an t-saoghail na àite nas fheàrr.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Flexibility and transformation are the fundamental ideas behind this design. The design allows the chair to migrate between different settings and respond to moods and needs of the user, since it can be transformed just by flipping it. This results to different seating postures and designs as per the needs of the user. Besides the alteration, this gives the product a visual consolidation, emphasizing the reduction of materials and unification of forms.
Dimensions & Packaging: Structural stability is attained by the overlapping plywood strips that curve into one another and are glued on connection points. These provide the necessary flexibility that thin layers of plywood offer as a construction material, together with the cushions attached to them. Plywood sheets are spray painted and varnished on all sides. Besides the natural beech wood finish, they come in black and white colored types.
Tags: Transformable, flexible, fluid, plywood, sustainable
Production Technology: The manufacturing process used for the plywood is steam bending which is a low energy, low waste process using no toxic glues, just water. The process of steaming the wood also seasons it at the same as it is bent, using a fraction of the energy required in conventional kiln drying. Having in mind always the use of low environmental impact solutions, plywood is used with low VOC finishes and Bio Shield natural oil finishes, in order to reveal the textural qualities of wood construction.
Design Challenge: With the fluidity of seat and the linearity if strips, the design is suggestive of plant growth. In this way it expresses the spirit of the material it is made of and reveals the textural qualities of wood construction. With an intentionally clear and simple form for this furniture, adaptation to the product philosophy of Dorma Design was taken into account, in order to make this chair complementary of company’s group of furniture and suitable for mass production.
Research: The research focused on how the curve segments can be combined together taking into account physically satisfying posture as well as ergonomics. Full scale mockups were produced in order to check the weight and functionality of the furniture prior to fabrication. Cushions were tested in order to act as an extension of the main framing, having as a basic principle the minimum use of material and minimum number of construction elements.
Inspiration: When you bend a strip of plywood you get an elastic curve. What geometry does this curve follow? The interest in line and movement is expressed through a refined vocabulary, derived from the functional aspects of the design. The main structural elements are strips of plywood that fold in a specific and supplementary manner, in line with proportions of the human body so as to establish the dimensions of the chair.
Operation Flow: Exploring the value of wooden manufacture and the flexible nature of wood as a construction material, the Flip Flop chair is constructed of a series of plywood elements. Fluid linear forms establish a visual rhythm through the graphic lines of the design. This analytical construction logic with curves and crisp lines defines a characteristic profile with a light and elegant effect.
Image Credits: Studio Niko Kapa