Desafinado Klupa by Cass Saldanha is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Brončana nagrada A' Design Award in Dizajn Namještaja Competition Category.

BroncaNamještaj· 2026

Desafinado Klupa

by Cass Saldanha

Client: SAL+Co

Brončana nagrada A' Design Award Winner in Namještaj Category

6,013

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180459

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Desafinado Klupa

Desafinado je klupa dizajnirana kao studija ravnoteže i suzdržanosti. Forma slijedi skandinavsku jasnoću, s ravnim linijama i jednostavnom geometrijom, u kombinaciji s težinom i izravnošću brazilskog brutalističkog modernizma. Niske proporcije pozivaju na opušteno držanje tijela, a razdvajanje sjedala i naslona stvara vizualnu napetost. Namjerni prepust uravnotežuje sjedalo i naslon u suprotnim smjerovima. Klupa je gotovo u cijelosti izrađena od europskog hrasta s crnim bajcom, a tanki ručno šivani jastuk od brazilske sedlarske kože upotpunjuje sjedalo.

The Recognition

About the Brončana nagrada A' Design Award

Desafinado Klupa je pobjednik Brončane nagrade A' Design Award, visoko prestižnog priznanja koje se dodjeljuje izvanrednim dizajnima što se odlikuju kreativnošću, domišljatošću i oštroumnošću. Brončani pobjednici izdašno su vješti i upečatljivo kreativni artefakti koji potvrđuju golemo iskustvo, maštu i snalažljivost svojih dizajnera. Očekuje se da Desafinado Klupa bude visoko cijenjen, voljen i njegovan predmet koji je izuzetno profesionalan i inovativan. Ovaj dizajn koji je osvojio Brončanu nagradu A' Design Award uključuje najbolje prakse u umjetnosti, znanosti, dizajnu i tehnologiji i izvrstan je zbog pažnje posvećene detaljima. Desafinado Klupa sjajno zadovoljava potrebe, dotiče želje, očarava osjećaje i privlači znatiželju.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: The Desafinado bench is conceived as a study in balance and restraint. Rooted in Scandinavian design, it relies on simple, straight lines and clear geometry. The low-lying proportions invite a relaxed posture, while the split between back and seat creates a visual tension. An intentional overhang balances the extended seat and back to opposite directions, turning structure into function.
Dimensions & Packaging: Materials:
Black Stained Oak
Seat in saddle leather

Dimensions:
Width: 130 inches or 39624 mm
Depth: 16 inches or 4876.8 mm
Height: 22 inches or 6705.6 mm
Seat Height: 12 inches or 3657.6 mm
Tags: Bench, Brazilian, wood, Balance, furniture
Production Technology: The bench is built almost entirely from a single material: European oak. Finished with a black stain, the wood emphasizes grain, mass, and shadow. This restrained material choice reinforces the clarity of the design, allowing form, proportion, and structure to define the piece without distraction.
The bench is complemented with a thin, hand-stitched seat cushion upholstered in authentic Brazilian saddle leather forced from local small business.
Inspiration: The piece draws from Scandinavian clarity, but it is grounded in Brazilian brutalist modernism. Its forms are direct and architectural rather than delicate or refined. The bench avoids excessive polish, embracing weight, presence, and material honesty. This subtle roughness distinguishes it from Japanese minimalism and reinforces its brutalist character.
Project Duration: Conceived in Miami in 2022, the project evolved through an intensive four-month prototyping phase and reached its final form in August of that year. The bench exists as a true one-of-one piece; all remaining prototypes were deliberately destroyed upon completion, reinforcing its singularity.
Operation Flow: Beyond simple seating, the Desafinado Bench invites multiple uses: a surface to recline or stretch, a platform for books and objects, or an architectural element that works as a space divider or low table. It shifts easily between function and presence, adapting to the way the body and the room engage with it.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Cass Saldanha, 2022.
This design is available for reproduction. Please contact the Designer if you have interest in discuss intellectual property and licensing the rights.
Image Credits: Cassiano Saldanha