Bronze Fenicha · 2026

Desafinado Benchi

by Cass Saldanha

Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award 2026 in Fenicha
CLIENT: SAL+Co
Estimated Number of Design Views: 6,013
Verification code 44E46399CF · Verify this award

View at A' Design Award Press Release

Colors

About Desafinado Benchi

Desafinado ndi benchi yopangidwa ngati kafukufuku wa kulinganiza ndi kudziletsa. Mawonekedwe ake amatsatira kuonekera bwino kwa Scandinavia, ndi mizere yowongoka ndi jiometri yosavuta, zophatikizidwa ndi kulemera ndi kulunjika kwa masiku ano a brutalist a ku Brazil. Miyeso yotsika imapangitsa munthu kukhala momasuka, ndipo kugawanika pakati pa mpando ndi msana kumapanga kukoka kwa maso. Mbali yotuluka mwadala imalinganiza mpando ndi msana m'njira zosiyana. Benchi iyi yapangidwa pafupifupi yonse ndi mtengo wa oak wa ku Ulaya wokhala ndi utoto wakuda, ndipo pilo yopyapyala yosokedwa ndi manja mu chikopa cha saddle cha ku Brazil imamaliza mpando.

About the Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award

Desafinado Benchi ndi mmodzi mwa opambana a Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award, kuzindikirika kolemekezeka kwambiri komwe kumaperekedwa kwa mapangidwe abwino kwambiri omwe amaonekera ndi luso lolenga, kuchenjera ndi nzeru zakuthwa. Opambana a Bronze ndi zinthu zaluso kwambiri ndi zolenga modabwitsa zomwe zimatsimikizira zochitika zazikulu, kulingalira ndi kuchenjera kwa opanga awo. Desafinado Benchi akuyembekezeka kukhala chinthu choyamikiridwa, chosirira ndi chokondedwa, chaukatswiri wapadera ndi chatsopano. Mapangidwe opambana Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award awa amaphatikiza machitidwe abwino kwambiri a luso, sayansi, kapangidwe ndi ukadaulo ndipo ndi abwino kwambiri chifukwa cha kusamala kwawo zazing'ono. Desafinado Benchi amakwaniritsa zosowa mokongola, kukhudza zilakolako, kukopa mitima ndi kudzutsa chidwi.

Press Kit

Unique Properties: The Desafinado bench is conceived as a study in balance and restraint. Rooted in Scandinavian design, it relies on simple, straight lines and clear geometry. The low-lying proportions invite a relaxed posture, while the split between back and seat creates a visual tension. An intentional overhang balances the extended seat and back to opposite directions, turning structure into function.
Dimensions & Packaging: Materials:
Black Stained Oak
Seat in saddle leather

Dimensions:
Width: 130 inches or 39624 mm
Depth: 16 inches or 4876.8 mm
Height: 22 inches or 6705.6 mm
Seat Height: 12 inches or 3657.6 mm
Tags: Bench, Brazilian, wood, Balance, furniture
Production Technology: The bench is built almost entirely from a single material: European oak. Finished with a black stain, the wood emphasizes grain, mass, and shadow. This restrained material choice reinforces the clarity of the design, allowing form, proportion, and structure to define the piece without distraction.
The bench is complemented with a thin, hand-stitched seat cushion upholstered in authentic Brazilian saddle leather forced from local small business.
Inspiration: The piece draws from Scandinavian clarity, but it is grounded in Brazilian brutalist modernism. Its forms are direct and architectural rather than delicate or refined. The bench avoids excessive polish, embracing weight, presence, and material honesty. This subtle roughness distinguishes it from Japanese minimalism and reinforces its brutalist character.
Project Duration: Conceived in Miami in 2022, the project evolved through an intensive four-month prototyping phase and reached its final form in August of that year. The bench exists as a true one-of-one piece; all remaining prototypes were deliberately destroyed upon completion, reinforcing its singularity.
Operation Flow: Beyond simple seating, the Desafinado Bench invites multiple uses: a surface to recline or stretch, a platform for books and objects, or an architectural element that works as a space divider or low table. It shifts easily between function and presence, adapting to the way the body and the room engage with it.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Cass Saldanha, 2022.
This design is available for reproduction. Please contact the Designer if you have interest in discuss intellectual property and licensing the rights.
Image Credits: Cassiano Saldanha