Gera Mahi Matua: Tūru by Alessandra Delgado is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Koura in Hoahoa Taputapu Competition Category.
KouraTaputapu· 2026
Gera Mahi Matua: Tūru
Client: Alessandra Delgado Design
A' Design Award Koura Winner in Taputapu Category
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- Verified Award Winner
- Verify Award Status for #173664
The Design
About Gera Mahi Matua: Tūru
Kuputuhi Pukapuka: He hoahoa rākau a Gera i ahu mai i ngā taonga whare o ngā ringatoi hou o Parahi me te mārama o te hanganga e kitea ana i roto i ngā mahi a Geraldo de Barros. He mea hanga mai i te rākau jequitiba o Parahi kua whaimana me te hiako māori, kāore ōna wāhanga whakarewa, kāore hoki he here e kitea ana. Ka tiakina e ngā honohono huna te haere tonu ā-kanohi, i te wā e urupare ana ngā mata hiako kua whakaroaina ki te tinana. Mā te whakaheke rawa, te tiki rawa haepapa, me te tika o te hanganga, ka whakaaturia e te mahi he rangahau mō te ergonomics me te pūmautanga toitū.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award Koura
Ko Gera Mahi Matua: Tūru te toa o te A' Design Award Koura, he whakaaetanga tino whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa kōeke tuatahi, whakamīharo me te hiranga. Ko ngā toa Koura he mahi tino auaha, he tirohanga mamao, he kanapa ahi, e whakaatu ana i te pūmanawa, te mātauranga me te tohungatanga o ā rātou kaihoahoa. E tūmanakohia ana ko Gera Mahi Matua: Tūru he hanganga tūnga e whakatū ana i ngā ia, he whakanuia rawa, e kawe mai ana i te uara kāore anō kia kitea. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Koura he kaupapa whakamīharo, whakahonoretia e whakawhānui ana i ngā rohe o te toi, te pūtaiao, te hoahoa me te hangarau. Ka whakaara a Gera Mahi Matua: Tūru i te hiahia nui, ka whakaoho i te kaingākau, ka whakatenatena i te auaha, ā, ka whakamīharo i a tātou.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Gera Chair redefines solid wood seating through structural minimization. Developed exclusively with wood and leather as load-bearing systems, it eliminates metal reinforcement and visible fasteners. The tensioned leather seat operates as a structural membrane, while concealed joinery ensures load transfer and rigidity. Weighing 4 kg, the chair achieves resistance through geometry and material behavior rather than mechanical devices.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Dimensions W 525 mm x D 570 mm x H 830 mm.
Weight 4.0 kg.
The geometry was defined through ergonomic studies to ensure lumbar support and seating stability. The curved back rail follows the natural contour of the spine, while the structural proportions allow high resistance with reduced mass. The low overall weight facilitates transport, handling and spatial flexibility without compromising durability. - Tags
- Chair, Gera Chair, Wood, Dinning Chair, Wooden Chair, Sustainable materials
- Production Technology
- The chair was developed through structural reduction and load optimization studies. Certified Brazilian jequitiba was selected for its favorable density to weight ratio, fiber stability and bending resistance, allowing minimized cross sections without metal reinforcement. Mortise and tenon joints ensure axial load transfer and torsional rigidity. The seat, composed of two bonded natural leather layers, operates as a tensioned membrane fixed beneath the frame, distributing loads dynamically while maintaining a total mass of 4 kg.
- Design Challenge
- The primary challenge was achieving structural integrity through material behavior rather than reinforcement. Identifying a wood capable of sustaining reduced sections without compromising resistance led to the selection of certified jequitiba. Designing a suspended leather seat functioning as a structural membrane required extensive prototyping and geometric refinement. Achieving a 4 kg solid wood chair demanded continuous structural recalibration and concealed joinery precision.
- Research
- This is applied design research focused on structural efficiency through material minimization. The objective was to develop a lightweight, durable chair using only wood and leather as load-bearing systems. Methodology included iterative prototyping, ergonomic validation and material performance testing. Results demonstrate that geometry and tensioned leather behavior can replace mechanical components, achieving structural stability at 4 kg. The research advances sustainable, repairable furniture production through reduction-based design logic.
- Inspiration
- Gera Chair originates from an investigation into structural reduction in Brazilian modernism, particularly the constructive clarity found in the work of Geraldo de Barros. The project explores how geometry, proportion and material logic can generate resistance and comfort without auxiliary mechanisms. Rather than referencing form, the design references structural intelligence, translating modernist principles into a contemporary reduction-based seating system.
- Project Duration
- The project started in September 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was presented as a prototype at Salone del Mobile in Milan in April 2025. Industrial development and final production adjustments were completed in May 2026 in Uba, Brazil.
- Operation Flow
- Gera Chair offers intuitive interaction. Weighing only 4 kg, it can be easily moved and repositioned. As the user sits, the leather gently adapts to body weight, enhancing comfort without adjustments or mechanisms. The curved wooden structure supports the back naturally. Comfort is achieved through the behavior of materials and form rather than mechanical systems, resulting in a simple and immediate user experience.
- Patents
- pendind patent number
- Image Credits
- Photografer Alessandra Delgado Design, 2025
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