Soli Seza by João Demele is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Varahina in Famolavolana Fanaka Competition Category.

VarahinaFanaka· 2026

Soli Seza

by João Demele

Client: Morada Decor

A' Design Award Varahina Winner in Fanaka Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #176791

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Soli Seza

Soli dia seza natao ho an'ny fipetrahana andavanandro. Ny famolavolana azy dia mampifandanja ny ergonomika, ny hamaivanana amin'ny fijery ary ny fahamarinan'ny rafitra. Ny rafitra hazo matevina dia vita amin'ny hazo Jequitiba avy amin'ny ala nambolena indray izay nalaina tamin'ny fomba tandrembe, miaraka amin'ny fifandimbiasana malama sy mitohy eo amin'ny tongony, ny fipetrahana ary ny fiankinan-damosina. Ny fiankinan-damosina miolikolika dia rakotra hoditra ary mitarika ny fipetraky ny vatana tsy mila fitaovana fanitsiana. Ny fiolahana mifanaraka amin'ny vatana sy ny ronono fôro avo lenta dia manome fahafinaretana. Ny fanamboarana amin'ny milina indostrialy dia miantoka ny fahamarinana, raha ny famitana tanana voafehy kosa dia mitahiry ny hatsaran'ny akora sy ny faharetany.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Varahina

Nandresy ny A' Design Award Varahina ny famolavolana Soli Seza, fankasitrahana malaza be omena ny famolavolana miavaka izay mampiavaka ny fahaiza-mamorona, ny fahazotoana ary ny fahamaotinan-tsaina. Ny mpandresy Varahina dia zavatra vita tanana mahay dia mahay ary mamorona mivantana izay manamafy ny traikefa be dia be, ny sarintsaina ary ny fahaizan-kafoy an'ny mpamolavola azy. Andrasana ho zavatra ankasitrahana be, ankafizina ary tiana, mahay amin'ny asa sady vaovao ny famolavolana Soli Seza. Ity famolavolana nandresy ny A' Design Award Varahina ity dia mitahiry ny fomba fanao tsara indrindra amin'ny zavakanto, ny siansa, ny famolavolana ary ny teknolojia, ary tsara indrindra amin'ny fitandremana ny antsipirihany. Ny famolavolana Soli Seza dia mahafa-po ny filana tsara, mikasika ny faniriana, mahasarika ny fihetseham-po ary misarika ny fahalianana.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: The chair explores the balance between ergonomics visual lightness and structural precision resulting in a contemporary piece with sculptural presence. Its solid wood structure features smooth and continuous transitions between legs seat and backrest highlighting craftsmanship and technical mastery. The curved leather upholstered backrest gently supports the body while precise stitching and hand finishing reinforce material integrity and the uniqueness of each piece.
Dimensions & Packaging: Width: 560 mm x Depth: 600 mm x Height: 840 mm. Height Seat: 460 mm.
Tags: Wooden chair, Sustainable design, Ergonomic chair, Contemporary furniture, Organic curves, Eco-friendly materials, Brazilian Furniture, Brazilian Culture.
Production Technology: The chair production is guided by sustainability and industrial efficiency. It uses responsibly sourced reforested Jequitiba wood and components designed to reduce waste throughout manufacturing. The seat incorporates curves that adapt to human anatomy combined with high performance foam for comfort and support. Industrial machining ensures precision and repeatability while controlled manual finishing preserves material integrity and durability.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was balancing ergonomics and form. Developing a continuous curved backrest capable of adapting to different bodies required extensive research, testing, and fine adjustments. Manufacturing the wooden structure demanded high technical precision to achieve organic forms and smooth transitions without compromising structural strength. Integrating wood and leather also required careful detailing to ensure durability, comfort, and consistent aesthetic quality in potential scaled production.
Research: This design project was developed through research into sustainable materials applied to contemporary furniture, combined with an understanding of function as an adaptive element responsive to different bodies and contexts. The design process integrated hand sketching, 3D modeling, and full-scale prototyping to refine form, structure, and ergonomics, particularly the backrest curvature. The combination of wood and leather references Brazilian modern furniture, positioning craftsmanship as the conceptual core of the object.
Inspiration: The Soli chair inspire by a synthesis of form, identity, and materiality. Its design is structured as a continuous gesture, in which seat and backrest are unified through a single curve. Each curvature is carefully dimensioned to accommodate diverse body types, reflecting the plurality of Brazilian culture. Inspired by traditional wooden furniture and natural elements such as branches and animal horns, the combination of wood and leather emphasizes material honesty, lightness, stability, and tactile comfort, enhancing the users sensorial experience.
Project Duration: The Soli chair was developed through close collaboration between designer and manufacturer with the objective of creating a chair that intuitively adapts to the human body. Completed in 2025 the project followed a rigorous development process with multiple prototypes ergonomic adjustments and formal refinements. The result is a contemporary chair that balances comfort aesthetic identity and production feasibility reflecting research collaboration and care in its creation.
Operation Flow: The chair works as a single, continuous gesture. The seat supports the body, while the curved backrest approaches like an embrace, intuitively guiding posture. There are no adjustments or mechanisms: comfort comes directly from the form itself, which naturally adapts to different body types. The wooden structure sustains this movement with lightness and stability, transforming the act of sitting into a natural, welcoming, and efficient everyday experience.
Patents: Unspecified
Team Members: João Demele – Designer

Juliano Schmidt and Rafael Schmidt – Project approval
Juliano Schmidt and Luiz Eduardo Bossardi – Execution and prototyping
Image Credits: Images developed by designer João Demele.