Soli Àga by João Demele is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award in Àpẹẹrẹ Ohun-èlò Ilé Competition Category.
IdẹOhun-èlò Ilé· 2026
Soli Àga
by João Demele
Client: Morada Decor
Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award Winner in Ohun-èlò Ilé Category
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The Design
About Soli Àga
Soli jẹ́ àga tí a ṣe àgbékalẹ̀ rẹ̀ fún ìjókòó ojoojúmọ́. Àgbékalẹ̀ náà ṣe ìwọ̀ntúnwọ̀nsì láàrin ìbámu-ara (ergonomics), ìfẹ́ẹ́rẹ́fẹ́ ojú àti pípé ìhun rẹ̀. A ṣe ìhun igi tí ó lágbára láti ara igi Jequitiba tí a tún gbìn padà, tí a rí gbà ní ọ̀nà tí ó bójúmu, pẹ̀lú ìyípadà dídán tí ó tẹ̀síwájú láàrin ẹsẹ̀, ìjókòó àti ìgbẹ̀yìn. Ìgbẹ̀yìn tí ó tẹ̀ ní a fi awọ bò ó, ó sì ń darí ìdúró ara láìsí ohun èlò àtúnṣe kankan. Àwọn ìtẹ̀ tí ó bá ìrísí ara mu àti fọ́ọ̀mù tí ó ní agbára gíga ń pèsè ìtura. Ẹ̀rọ ilé-iṣẹ́ ń ṣe ìdánilójú pípé iṣẹ́ náà, nígbà tí ìparí ọwọ́ tí a darí dáadáa ń dáàbò bo ìwà pípé ohun èlò àti agbára ìlò rẹ̀ fún ìgbà pípẹ́.
The Recognition
About the Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award
Soli Àga jẹ́ olùborí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award, ìdánimọ̀ olókìkí gan-an tí a fún àwọn àwòṣe tó tayọ tí wọ́n yàtọ̀ nípasẹ̀ ìṣẹ̀dá, àrékérekè àti ọgbọ́n inú. Àwọn olùborí Idẹ jẹ́ àwọn ohun èlò tó ní ìjáfáfá gan-an tí wọ́n sì ní ìṣẹ̀dá tó yani lẹ́nu tí wọ́n ń ṣe ẹ̀rí ìrírí gbígbòòrò, ìrònú àti ọgbọ́n àwọn olùṣàwòṣe wọn. A retí pé Soli Àga yóò jẹ́ ohun tí a kà sí gidigidi, tí a gbóríyìn fún tí a sì nífẹ̀ẹ́, tó jẹ́ ti ọ̀jáfáfá lọ́nà tó ṣe pàtàkì tó sì ní ìmúṣẹ̀dá tuntun. Àwòṣe tó borí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award yìí ń kó àwọn ọ̀nà tó dára jùlọ nínú iṣẹ́ ọnà, sáyẹ́ǹsì, àwòṣe àti ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ jọ, ó sì tayọ nítorí àfiyèsí rẹ̀ sí àwọn àlàyé kékeré. Soli Àga ń tẹ́ àwọn ohun tí a nílò lọ́rùn lọ́nà àgbàyanu, ó ń fọwọ́ kan àwọn ìfẹ́ inú, ó ń gbà ọkàn ó sì ń fa ìfẹ́ láti mọ̀ mọ́ra.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The chair explores the balance between ergonomics visual lightness and structural precision resulting in a contemporary piece with sculptural presence. Its solid wood structure features smooth and continuous transitions between legs seat and backrest highlighting craftsmanship and technical mastery. The curved leather upholstered backrest gently supports the body while precise stitching and hand finishing reinforce material integrity and the uniqueness of each piece.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width: 560 mm x Depth: 600 mm x Height: 840 mm. Height Seat: 460 mm.
- Tags
- Wooden chair, Sustainable design, Ergonomic chair, Contemporary furniture, Organic curves, Eco-friendly materials, Brazilian Furniture, Brazilian Culture.
- Production Technology
- The chair production is guided by sustainability and industrial efficiency. It uses responsibly sourced reforested Jequitiba wood and components designed to reduce waste throughout manufacturing. The seat incorporates curves that adapt to human anatomy combined with high performance foam for comfort and support. Industrial machining ensures precision and repeatability while controlled manual finishing preserves material integrity and durability.
- Design Challenge
- The main challenge was balancing ergonomics and form. Developing a continuous curved backrest capable of adapting to different bodies required extensive research, testing, and fine adjustments. Manufacturing the wooden structure demanded high technical precision to achieve organic forms and smooth transitions without compromising structural strength. Integrating wood and leather also required careful detailing to ensure durability, comfort, and consistent aesthetic quality in potential scaled production.
- Research
- This design project was developed through research into sustainable materials applied to contemporary furniture, combined with an understanding of function as an adaptive element responsive to different bodies and contexts. The design process integrated hand sketching, 3D modeling, and full-scale prototyping to refine form, structure, and ergonomics, particularly the backrest curvature. The combination of wood and leather references Brazilian modern furniture, positioning craftsmanship as the conceptual core of the object.
- Inspiration
- The Soli chair inspire by a synthesis of form, identity, and materiality. Its design is structured as a continuous gesture, in which seat and backrest are unified through a single curve. Each curvature is carefully dimensioned to accommodate diverse body types, reflecting the plurality of Brazilian culture. Inspired by traditional wooden furniture and natural elements such as branches and animal horns, the combination of wood and leather emphasizes material honesty, lightness, stability, and tactile comfort, enhancing the users sensorial experience.
- Project Duration
- The Soli chair was developed through close collaboration between designer and manufacturer with the objective of creating a chair that intuitively adapts to the human body. Completed in 2025 the project followed a rigorous development process with multiple prototypes ergonomic adjustments and formal refinements. The result is a contemporary chair that balances comfort aesthetic identity and production feasibility reflecting research collaboration and care in its creation.
- Operation Flow
- The chair works as a single, continuous gesture. The seat supports the body, while the curved backrest approaches like an embrace, intuitively guiding posture. There are no adjustments or mechanisms: comfort comes directly from the form itself, which naturally adapts to different body types. The wooden structure sustains this movement with lightness and stability, transforming the act of sitting into a natural, welcoming, and efficient everyday experience.
- Patents
- Unspecified
- Team Members
- João Demele – Designer
Juliano Schmidt and Rafael Schmidt – Project approval
Juliano Schmidt and Luiz Eduardo Bossardi – Execution and prototyping - Image Credits
- Images developed by designer João Demele.
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