The Monomorph Stoel by Wouter Van Riet Paap is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award in IJzer in Meubelontwerp Competition Category.
IJzerMeubels· 2025
The Monomorph Stoel
Client: De Ontwerpdivisie
A' Design Award in IJzer Winner in Meubels Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #163541The Design
About The Monomorph Stoel
De Monomorph is een stoel die is geconstrueerd met 39 identieke houten elementen. Het werken met slechts één vorm om een stoel te creëren resulteert in een zeer duurzaam, modulair product. Deze driehoekige elementen komen allemaal van één plaat multiplex. De 39 elementen zijn verbonden door stalen staven die de rugleuning, zitting en poten vormen. De stoel kan als plat pakket worden getransporteerd en is eenvoudig te monteren. Het multiplex is geschilderd in vooraf geselecteerde kleuren of kan onbehandeld worden gebruikt in de ruwe editie.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award in IJzer
The Monomorph Stoel is winnaar van de A' Design Award in IJzer, een prestigieuze erkenning die wordt toegekend aan goede ontwerpen die voldoen aan de professionele en industriële eisen die worden verwacht van goed ontworpen creaties. Winnaars in IJzer tonen grote vaardigheid, hoge specialisatie, deskundig inzicht en het creatieve vermogen van hun makers. The Monomorph Stoel wordt verwacht een hooggewaardeerde, bewonderde en gekoesterde creatie te zijn die praktisch en innovatief is. Dit ontwerp dat de A' Design Award in IJzer heeft gewonnen, integreert de beste praktijken uit de sector en heeft bekwame technische kenmerken die verbonden zijn met knowhow en talent. The Monomorph Stoel wordt gerespecteerd om zijn grondigheid en is ontworpen om verbeteringen van de levenskwaliteit te bieden die helpen de wereld een betere plek te maken.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The Monomorph is a chair that is constructed with 39 completely identical plywood elements. These elements are connected by steel rods. The plywood is painted in pre-selected colors but can also be used untreated in the RAW edition. The Monomorph is a relaxing fauteuil, intriguing from all angles.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The chair has a total depth of 810mm, a total width of 650mm and a total height of 850mm. Materials used are painted plywood, stainless steel tubes with rifling inside and cap screw on the outside.
- Tags
- chair, fauteuil, plywood,steel, comfortable, modular
- Production Technology
- The 38 elements are CNC cut after various scale models were made. There has been substantial testing of various elements resulting in different chairs with different levels of comfort. eventually this single shape turned out to be the perfect single shape to create a chair with. There are several variants with 16 identical elements instead of 39, where the seat and backrest are formed with paper cord, used trucktarp or vegan leather.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part was to actually find the single shape with which to realize an actual chair that is both beautiful and comfortable. After the shape was found the challange was to make the chair stable. For this several models were build and eventually the real life prototype. First with 16 identical elements with vegan leather used for seat and backrest. Later even more pure, using only that one wooden shape.
- Research
- As an architect I am always thinking about design and how to make it buildable. In construction the standardisation of elements, or even complete houses, has become more and more important. To keep costs acceptable, to minimize failure and maximize sustainability. But standardisation also limits the architects freedom to actually make a design. That is why I try to design these standardised elements myself in order to make the design leading and the standard elements following. The Monomorph is based on this principle of design lead standardisation. It is a chair constructed with 39 identical elements, which is a wooden triangle with rounded corners. A chair is formed by connecting these 39 elements with steel rods. The same element can be seat, backrest or leg. By adding more elements the chair can even be a sofa.
- Inspiration
- In nature, an organism existing out of one shape is called a monomorph. The Monomorph chair is the result of my research to find this ideal single shape to create a chair with: One form to define the result. It makes building the chair efficient, creating less waste.
- Project Duration
- The chair was designed in Januari 2024 in Utrecht, The Netherlands after several models were made. The first real size prototype was build in March 2024 after which extensive testing at the designers house took place. All in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Operation Flow
- The chair can be assembled by everyone who can handle a allen wrench.
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to Wouter van Riet Paap, 2024
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