Desafinado Bänk by Cass Saldanha is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award i Brons in Möbeldesign Competition Category.
BronsMöbler· 2026
Desafinado Bänk
Client: SAL+Co
A' Design Award i Brons Winner in Möbler Category
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- Verified Award Winner
- Verify Award Status for #180459
The Design
About Desafinado Bänk
Desafinado är en bänk formgiven som en studie i balans och återhållsamhet. Formen följer skandinavisk klarhet, med raka linjer och enkel geometri, kombinerat med tyngden och direktheten hos brasiliansk brutalistisk modernism. Låga proportioner bjuder in till en avslappnad sittställning, och delningen mellan sits och rygg skapar visuell spänning. Ett medvetet överhäng balanserar sitsen och ryggen i motsatta riktningar. Bänken är nästan helt tillverkad av europeisk ek med svart bets, och en tunn handsydd dyna i brasilianskt sadelläder fullbordar sitsen.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award i Brons
Desafinado Bänk är vinnare av A' Design Award i Brons, ett högst prestigefyllt erkännande som tilldelas enastående designverk som utmärker sig genom kreativitet, uppfinningsrikedom och klokhet. Bronsvinnare är mycket skickliga och slående kreativa föremål som styrker formgivarnas stora erfarenhet, fantasi och påhittighet. Desafinado Bänk förväntas vara ett högt skattat, beundrat och älskat föremål som är anmärkningsvärt professionellt och innovativt. Detta vinnande verk i A' Design Award i Brons införlivar bästa praxis inom konst, vetenskap, design och teknik och är utmärkt genom sin omsorg om detaljer. Desafinado Bänk tillfredsställer fantastiskt behov, rör vid längtan, charmar känslor och väcker nyfikenhet.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- 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
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