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Balanco صوفا by Daniel Coutinho

Balanco صوفا by Daniel Coutinho is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award چاندي انعام in فرنيچر ڊيزائن Competition Category.


چانديفرنيچر· 2026

Balanco صوفا

by Daniel Coutinho

Client: Daniel Coutinho Estudio

A' Design Award چاندي انعام Winner in فرنيچر Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #182249

Colors

The Design

About Balanco صوفا

بيلانڪو (Balanco) ھڪ ماڊيولر صوفا آھي جيڪو جديد اندروني جڳھين لاءِ ڊزائن ڪيو ويو آھي. ھي نالو ڪينٽيليور (cantilever) ڏانھن اشارو ڪري ٿو، جيڪو اھو تعميري اصول آھي جيڪو ھن ٽڪري جي محسوس ٿيندڙ وزن کي گھٽائڻ لاءِ استعمال ڪيو ويو آھي. بيلانڪو ھڪ لٽڪيل اپھولسٽرڊ بنياد، ٺوس ڪاٺ جي پُٺي ۽ ڌاتوءَ جي سھاري تي قدرتي پٿر جي ھڪ گڏيل پاسي واري ميز کي پاڻ ۾ ملائي ٿو. نظر ايندڙ سھاري وارا نقطا گھٽ ۾ گھٽ ڪيا ويا آھن، جنھن ڪري وڏو حجم ھلڪو نظر اچي ٿو. ٺوس ڪاٺ، پتل، پٿر، لينن، چمڙو ۽ مخمل مادي جي گھاٽائي ۽ بصري ھلڪائي جي وچ ۾ ھڪ تضاد پيدا ڪن ٿا. مجموعي ڊيگھ 3500 ملي ميٽر آھي.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award چاندي انعام

Balanco صوفا A' Design Award چاندي انعام جو کٽيندڙ آهي، غير معمولي حد تائين معزز اعتراف جيڪو اعليٰ ترين درجي جي، شاندار ۽ متاثر ڪندڙ ڊيزائنن کي ڏنو وڃي ٿو. چاندي جا کٽيندڙ تمام گهڻا روشن ۽ انتهائي تخليقي ڪم آهن، جيڪي پنهنجي ڊيزائنرن جي شاندار مهارت، صلاحيت ۽ ذڪاوت کي ظاهر ڪن ٿا. Balanco صوفا کان اميد ڪئي وڃي ٿي ته اهو هڪ شاندار نمائشي ڪم هوندو، قابل ذڪر حد تائين پيشه ورانه ۽ ڳوڙهي جدت وارو. هي ڊيزائن جنهن A' Design Award چاندي انعام کٽيو آهي، هڪ انتهائي قابل ذڪر، ساراهيل ايجاد آهي جيڪا فائدو ڏئي ٿي ۽ فن، سائنس، ڊيزائن ۽ ٽيڪنالاجي جون حدون وڌائي ٿي. Balanco صوفا هڪ اهڙي تخليق آهي جنهن تي گهڻا حسد ڪن ٿا، جيڪا خواهشون جاڳائي ٿي، مثبت جذبا آڻي ٿي ۽ حيرت ۽ تعجب جي چڻنگ ٻاري ٿي.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
The structure was conceived to minimize visible support points, reducing the perception of weight in a large-scale piece. The contrast between dense materials and the resulting formal lightness establishes a distinctive structural language. The intentional misalignment reinforces its identity, while the cantilevered side table, supported by a metal base, enhances the sense of suspension and lightness.
Dimensions & Packaging
Modular system composed of a suspended upholstered base, structural solid wood backrest, and integrated natural stone side table with metal support.
Total length: 3500mm Depth: 920mm Seat height: 430mm Total height: 665mm Side table: Total length 700mm:Depth: 700mm
Tags
structural lightness, contemporary furniture, Brazilian design, modular sofa, noble materials, structural cantilever, sophistication, authorial design, material contrast, elegance
Production Technology
The structure was designed with strategic load distribution and visually minimized support points, allowing the suspension effect while maintaining structural integrity. The upholstery uses multi-density foams and coverings in linen, leather, and velvet, applied using advanced upholstery techniques. The combination of structural engineering and construction precision transforms high-density materials into a visually light and continuous expression.
Design Challenge
The challenge was to transform a large-scale piece into a visually lightweight volume, requiring structural refi nement, iterative prototyping, and precise control of proportions and materials. The result demonstrates how engineering and design work together to redefi ne structural perception in contemporary furniture.
Research
Applied research in furniture design focused on the relationship between structure, materiality, and visual perception. The objective was to investigate how structural cantilever and material combinations could reduce the perceived weight of upholstered pieces. The methodology included formal analysis, material experimentation, 3D modeling, and prototyping. The results show that balancing structure and materials redefi nes visual perception, contributing to new approaches in contemporary design.
Inspiration
Architectural and structural references guided the development of a solution that explores visual suspension as a design language. Throughout the process, the investigation of the interaction between solid wood, brass, stone, linen, leather, and velvet guided the search for material balance, where the contrast between physical density and visual lightness defi nes the expression and identity of the piece.
Project Duration
The project was developed over two months at the brand’s studio in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The process involved conceptual investigation, structural development, and material experimentation, focusing on the integration of visual lightness, stability, and balance between different materials, resulting in a solution that combines technical rigor and contemporary expression.
Operation Flow
The sofa integrates the seat and side table into a continuous composition, where the cantilevered element expands its functionality without compromising visual lightness. The structure was conceived to reduce the perception of weight, creating a sense of suspension. Unlike conventional solutions, the solid wood backrest is treated as an essential part of the design, allowing the piece to be freely positioned and appreciated from all angles within the space.
Image Credits
Image 1: photographer: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026, Image 2: photographer: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026, Image 3: photographer: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026, Image 4: photographer: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026.
Video: Fernando Crescente Fotografia, Balanco, 2026.

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