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Flip Transformerende Stoel by Niko Kapa

Flip Transformerende Stoel by Niko Kapa is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award in IJzer in Meubelontwerp Competition Category.


IJzerMeubels· 2025

Flip Transformerende Stoel

by Niko Kapa

Client: Snk

A' Design Award in IJzer Winner in Meubels Category

12,116

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #166217

Colors

The Design

About Flip Transformerende Stoel

Met als uitgangspunt materiële soberheid en vormzuiverheid, is de ontwerpkwaliteit gebaseerd op geometrische plooien en lijnen die resulteren in een onderlinge verbinding van verschillende onderdelen die allemaal de functie dienen. Het ontwerp stelt de stoel in staat te migreren tussen verschillende omgevingen en te reageren op stemmingen en behoeften van de gebruiker, aangezien deze eenvoudig getransformeerd kan worden door hem om te klappen. Niets is zonder doel en de afzonderlijke elementen werken samen om een lichtgewicht maar extreem rigide structuur te creëren.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in IJzer

Flip Transformerende 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. Flip Transformerende 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. Flip Transformerende 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
Flexibility and transformation are the fundamental ideas behind this design. The design allows the chair to migrate between different settings and respond to moods and needs of the user, since it can be transformed just by flipping it. This results to different seating postures and designs as per the needs of the user. Besides the alteration, this gives the product a visual consolidation, emphasizing the reduction of materials and unification of forms.
Dimensions & Packaging
Structural stability is attained by the overlapping plywood strips that curve into one another and are glued on connection points. These provide the necessary flexibility that thin layers of plywood offer as a construction material, together with the cushions attached to them. Plywood sheets are spray painted and varnished on all sides. Besides the natural beech wood finish, they come in black and white colored types.
Tags
Transformable, flexible, fluid, plywood, sustainable
Production Technology
The manufacturing process used for the plywood is steam bending which is a low energy, low waste process using no toxic glues, just water. The process of steaming the wood also seasons it at the same as it is bent, using a fraction of the energy required in conventional kiln drying. Having in mind always the use of low environmental impact solutions, plywood is used with low VOC finishes and Bio Shield natural oil finishes, in order to reveal the textural qualities of wood construction.
Design Challenge
With the fluidity of seat and the linearity if strips, the design is suggestive of plant growth. In this way it expresses the spirit of the material it is made of and reveals the textural qualities of wood construction. With an intentionally clear and simple form for this furniture, adaptation to the product philosophy of Dorma Design was taken into account, in order to make this chair complementary of company’s group of furniture and suitable for mass production.
Research
The research focused on how the curve segments can be combined together taking into account physically satisfying posture as well as ergonomics. Full scale mockups were produced in order to check the weight and functionality of the furniture prior to fabrication. Cushions were tested in order to act as an extension of the main framing, having as a basic principle the minimum use of material and minimum number of construction elements.
Inspiration
When you bend a strip of plywood you get an elastic curve. What geometry does this curve follow? The interest in line and movement is expressed through a refined vocabulary, derived from the functional aspects of the design. The main structural elements are strips of plywood that fold in a specific and supplementary manner, in line with proportions of the human body so as to establish the dimensions of the chair.
Operation Flow
Exploring the value of wooden manufacture and the flexible nature of wood as a construction material, the Flip Flop chair is constructed of a series of plywood elements. Fluid linear forms establish a visual rhythm through the graphic lines of the design. This analytical construction logic with curves and crisp lines defines a characteristic profile with a light and elegant effect.
Image Credits
Studio Niko Kapa

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