Bondo Sofa yo mu Nzu by Hongji Yin is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze in Igishushanyo cy'Imitako Competition Category.

BuronzeImitako· 2026

Bondo Sofa yo mu Nzu

by Hongji Yin

Client: Hongji Yin

Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze Winner in Imitako Category

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Colors

The Design

About Bondo Sofa yo mu Nzu

Bondo ni sofa yo mu nzu yagenewe gushyigikira imikoranire y'abantu mu rugo. Ishusho ya Bondo ishingiye ku myifatire y'amasega mu mibanire yayo, aruhukira hamwe kandi agakorera hamwe. Iyi sofa ifite ubugari bwa cm 227, ubujyakuzimu bwa cm 106 n'uburebure bwa cm 89, aho intebe yayo ifite uburebure bwa cm 38. Imiterere y'imbere ikoresha ibiti bya plywood byakaswe neza hakoreshejwe ikoranabuhanga rya CNC, hamwe n'urubaho rw'inyuma rukozwe mu bikoresho bihujwe. Umwenda uyitwikiriye ni imyenda ya Knoll, kandi urubaho rw'inyuma rw'igiti cya walnut rw'umutako rusimbura uburyo busanzwe bwo guteranya nk'isanduku. Ibice byinshi bishobora guhuzwa bikagize umwanya munini wo kwicaraho usangiwe.

The Recognition

About the Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze

Bondo Sofa yo mu Nzu ni uwegukanye Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze, ishimwe ry'agaciro gakomeye ritangwa ku bishushanyo by'indashyikirwa birangwa no guhanga, ubwenge n'ubushishozi. Abegukanye Buronze ni ibihangano bifite ubuhanga bwinshi kandi bihanga cyane, bishimangira uburambe, ubwenge n'ubushobozi bw'ababihanze. Bondo Sofa yo mu Nzu biteganyijwe ko izaba ikintu cyubahwa, gishimwa kandi gikundwa, gifite ubunyamwuga n'udushya. Iki gishushanyo cyegukanye Buronze gikoresha uburyo bwiza mu buhanzi, ubumenyi, ubushushanyo n'ikoranabuhanga kandi kirarenze mu gutaha ku tuntu duto. Bondo Sofa yo mu Nzu ishimisha ibyo dukeneye, ikora ku byifuzo byacu, itwara amarangamutima yacu kandi ikurura amatsiko yacu.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Bondo is a prototype that reflects my speculation on social behavior and ecological systems. A sofa often bears functions like social interaction, resting, and food sharing. All of these resonate well with the social behavior of wolves, which are highly efficient and collaborative social animals. By referencing the image of wolves'social interaction, this project is expected to promote indoor activities and facilitate social interaction.
Dimensions & Packaging: Width 227cm x Depth 106cm x Height 89cm
Seat height 38cm
Tags: Nature, Organic, Special Structure, Knoll, Ergonomics, Sculpture Sofa
Production Technology: The sofa is crafted with high-grade Knoll fabric, selected for its superior tactile properties tailored for sublime skin contact. The internal structure features precision CNC-cut plywood, combined with an innovative spliced-fill composite backboard design that optimizes perfect harmony between artistry and stability. Breaking away from conventional box-style assembly, the decorative walnut wood backplate transforms meticulous craftsmanship into a distinctive visual statement.
Design Challenge: A major challenge is to incorporate features of abstract social behavior patterns into a tangible object. Such disparity between biomimetic abstraction and manufacturability in actual industrial production challenged the proceeding of this sofa design. As a result, I extracted the iconic image of two wolves grooming each other, interpreted it into formal design language using sketches, modeling, and rendering, and ultimately infused such a social mode into the physical construct of my project.
Research: Through the completion of the project, I conducted profound research into biology, sociology, and human-centered design. To mirror the wolf pack behavior via my design, an ethological analysis and a comparison between human and wolf hunting modes are carried out. I also organized 5 groups, with 3-5 persons each, to simulate living circumstances using the sofa. After meticulously reviewing and analyzing the post-occupancy questionnaires, I adjusted the dimensions of the product accordingly.
Inspiration: The project was inspired by the social behavior and interaction of wolves, which often collaborate to hunt and rest. By incorporating these social features and their symbiotic relationship into the design, I intend to foster interaction and mutual assistance among humans, and ultimately promote interpersonal relationships. Further, this project transcends mere bio-inspiration, boldly exploring the nuanced boundaries of biology, design, aesthetics, and functionality.
Project Duration: The project started as a design in October 2023 in Los Angeles and finished in March 2024 in Los Angeles.
Operation Flow: Designed as indoor furniture that advocates social interaction, Bondo could encourage users of all ages to enjoy their lives with a close social distance. People can simply grab a cup of coffee and some snacks and sit with their family to enjoy the latest TV series or watch a breathtaking football match. When we need to host a party of over ten people, we can combine several pieces of this furniture together to form a shared space.
Patents: Hongji Yin holds the copyright for all visual
Image Credits: Photographer Hongji Yin, Bondo, 2024. ]