softening the system
An exploration of how textile elements can soften and extend a rigid furniture system without altering its essential character.
Group project with A. Bernstetter
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As part of the Brand Aesthetics module, we collaborated with a Swiss furniture system company to develop an accessory that extends and interacts with the existing system. The task was to analyse the brand, identify a relevant scenario and translate it into a new design intervention.
Our project explored the contrast between the rigid, structured character of the brand's system and the softer qualities of textiles. As the brand's furniture has increasingly found its way from offices into private and domestic spaces, we questioned how the system could be made to feel more adaptable and tactile without altering its essential character.
Our concept replaces selected metal panels with flexible textile elements. The textiles can subtly deform when objects are placed inside, introduce varying degrees of transparency through mesh, or diffuse light when used as part of a lighting scenario. Attached with snap fasteners around the existing steel tubes, the elements can be repositioned without permanently modifying or interfering with the original system.
The project investigates how a familiar and highly recognisable system can be extended through a contrasting material language while preserving its adaptability and visual identity.
