Balanco Sofa by Daniel Coutinho is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Kala in Hoʻolālā Lako Hale Competition Category.

KalaLako Hale· 2026

Balanco Sofa

by Daniel Coutinho

Client: Daniel Coutinho Estudio

A' Design Award Kala Winner in Lako Hale Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About Balanco Sofa

He sofa modular ʻo Balanco i hoʻolālā ʻia no nā lumi kūloko o kēia au. Pili ka inoa i ke kumu hoʻolewa (cantilever), ka loina kūkulu i hoʻohana ʻia e hōʻemi i ke kaumaha ʻike ʻia o ka mea hana. Hoʻohui ʻo Balanco i kahi kumu uhi lole i hoʻolewa ʻia, kahi paepae kua lāʻau paʻa, a me kahi pākaukau ʻaoʻao pōhaku kūlohelohe i hoʻokomo pū ʻia ma luna o ke kākoʻo metala. Hoʻemi ʻia nā wahi kākoʻo ʻike ʻia, no laila ʻike ʻia ka nui o ka mea hana me he mea māmā lā. Hana ka lāʻau paʻa, ke keleawe melemele, ka pōhaku, ka lilina, ka ʻili holoholona, a me ka veleveta i kahi ʻokoʻa ma waena o ka paʻa o nā waihoʻoluʻu a me ka māmā o ka ʻike maka. He 3500 mm ka loa holoʻokoʻa.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Kala

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Balanco Sofa i ka A' Design Award Kala, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kiʻekiʻe loa, nani a kupaianaha. He mau hana ʻālohilohi loa a hana noʻeau nui nā lanakila Kala e hōʻike ana i ka loea, ka makakoho a me ka ʻoi aku o ka noʻonoʻo o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Balanco Sofa he hana kupaianaha, kūlana ʻoi aku, ʻoihana kiʻekiʻe a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Kala he mea hoʻokumu kūpono loa, mahalo ʻia e hāʻawi i ka pōmaikaʻi a hoʻoneʻe i nā palena o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana. He mea i ʻeleu ʻia e nā mea he nui ka hoʻolālā Balanco Sofa e hoʻāla i ka makemake, lawe mai i nā manaʻo maikaʻi a hoʻāla i ka kamahaʻo a me ka mahalo.

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.