Balanco Sofa by Daniel Coutinho is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha in Nhazi Ngwá Ụlọ Competition Category.

ỌlaọchaNgwá Ụlọ· 2026

Balanco Sofa

by Daniel Coutinho

Client: Daniel Coutinho Estudio

Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha Winner in Ngwá Ụlọ Category

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The Design

About Balanco Sofa

Balanco bụ sofa modula e mere maka ime ụlọ nke oge a. Aha ahụ na-ezo aka na cantilever, bụ ụkpụrụ nhazi e ji belata ịdị arọ nke a na-ahụ anya nke ngwaahịa a. Balanco na-ejikọta ntọala e ji akwa machie nke kwụ n'elu, azụ oche e ji osisi siri ike mee na tebụl akụkụ nkume sitere n'okike e jikọtara ya na nkwado ígwè. E belatara ebe nkwado ndị a na-ahụ anya, ya mere olu buru ibu ahụ na-adị ka ọ dị mfe. Osisi siri ike, brass, nkume, linen, akpụkpọ anụ na velvet na-emepụta ọdịiche n'etiti ịdị arọ nke ihe e ji mee ya na ịdị mfe nke anya na-ahụ. Ogologo ya niile bụ 3500 mm.

The Recognition

About the Ihe Nrite A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha

Balanco Sofa meriri A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha, nnabata dị oke ugwu e nyere design ndị dị n'ọkwa kachasị elu, mara mma ma na-eju anya. Ndị meriri na Ọlaọcha bụ ọrụ na-egbu maramara nke ukwuu ma dị oke nzụlite nke na-egosi ọmarịcha ihe ọmụma, talent na nghọta nke ndị designer ha. A na-atụ anya na Balanco Sofa ga-abụ ọrụ dị ịtụnanya, ihe nlereanya, nke dị oke ọrụ ma dị omimi n'ihe ọhụrụ. Design a meriri A' Design Award nke Ọlaọcha bụ ihe e mepụtara dị oke ịrịba ama, nke a na-eto nke na-erite uru ma na-ebuga oke nka, sayensị, design na teknụzụ n'ihu. Balanco Sofa bụ ihe e kere eke ọtụtụ ndị na-ekwo ekworo ya nke na-akpali ọchịchọ, na-eweta mmetụta ọma ma na-akpali ịtụnanya.

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.