Balanco Sofa by Daniel Coutinho is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Mubairo weSirivha we A' Design Award in Dhizaini yeFenichara Competition Category.
SirivhaFenichara· 2026
Balanco Sofa
Client: Daniel Coutinho Estudio
Mubairo weSirivha we A' Design Award Winner in Fenichara Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #182249The Design
About Balanco Sofa
Balanco isofa yezvidimbu-zvidimbu yakagadzirirwa mukati memba dzemazuva ano. Zita racho rinoreva cantilever, iri musimboti wekuvaka unoshandiswa kuderedza huremu hunoonekwa hwechigadzirwa ichi. Balanco inosanganisa hwaro hwakaturikwa hune machira, chitsigiro chemusana chematanda akasimba uye tafura yepadivi yedombo rechisikigo yakabatanidzwa patsigiro yesimbi. Nzvimbo dzekutsigira dzinoonekwa dzakaderedzwa, saka muviri mukuru unoratidzika wakareruka. Matanda akasimba, ndarira, dombo, mucheka welinen, dehwe uye vhevheti zvinogadzira musiyano pakati pekusimba kwezvinhu nekureruka kunoonekwa nemeso. Hurefu hwese i3500 mm.
The Recognition
About the Mubairo weSirivha we A' Design Award
Mubairo weSirivha we A' Design Award wakahwinwa ne Balanco Sofa, rukudzo rwakakwirira zvikuru runopiwa kumadhizaini epamusoro, anonaka uye anofadza. Vakunda veSirivha mabasa anopenya kwazvo uye ane kugadzira kwakasiyana anoratidza unyanzvi, hunyanzvi hwekusikwa nekungwara kwevagadziri vawo. Balanco Sofa inotarisirwa kuva basa rinoshamisa, rinotangira vamwe, rine hunyanzvi hunoonekwa uye zvitsva zvakadzika. Dhizaini iyi yakahwina Mubairo weSirivha we A' Design Award chigadzirwa chinoshamisa, chinokudzwa chinobatsira uye chinosundira mberi miganhu yehunyanzvi, sayenzi, dhizaini netekinoroji. Balanco Sofa chigadzirwa chinoshuvirwa nevazhinji, chinomutsa zvishuvo, chinouya nemanzwiro akanaka uye chinomutsa kushamisika.
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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