Desafinado 长凳 by Cass Saldanha is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 铜奖 in 家具设计 Competition Category.

铜家具· 2026

Desafinado 长凳

by Cass Saldanha

Client: SAL+Co

A' Design Award 铜奖 Winner in 家具 Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #180459

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

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The Design

About Desafinado 长凳

Desafinado 是一款以平衡与克制为研究命题的长凳。其造型延续斯堪的纳维亚式的简洁明快，以直线与纯粹的几何构成，并融入巴西粗野派现代主义的厚重感与直接性。低矮的比例引导出放松的坐姿，而座面与靠背之间的断裂则营造出视觉张力。刻意设计的悬挑令座面与靠背在相反方向上达成平衡。长凳几乎全部采用染黑处理的欧洲橡木制成，座面上一块以巴西马鞍革手工缝制的薄坐垫为整体设计画上句点。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 铜奖

Desafinado 长凳是 A' Design Award 铜奖得主，这是授予以创造力、独创性和敏锐见长的杰出设计的极具声望的认可。铜奖得主是技艺娴熟、创意惊人的作品，印证了其设计师丰富的经验、想象力与机智。预计Desafinado 长凳将成为一件备受推崇、令人钦佩且被珍爱的物品，兼具显著的专业性与创新性。这件赢得 A' Design Award 铜奖的设计融入艺术、科学、设计和技术领域的最佳实践，并因注重细节而出类拔萃。Desafinado 长凳出色地满足需求，触动渴望，迷住情感，并吸引好奇心。

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