It's hard to find a lot of nice options in modern design when it comes to folding chairs. Enter the Flux Chair, a stylish foldable design lounger made of polypropylene. As a matter of fact, the Flux was awarded the UK's Grand Designs Product of the Year Award in 2011.
The Flux Chair transforms from a flat package with a built-in handle into a modern looking chair and back again in minutes. Available in eight different colors, the chair has seating pads especially designed for it available in four colors making varied combinations and looks possible.
The chair looks stylish, is durable, easy to clean and care for and is at home indoors or out.
Wanna see how many Flux chairs fit into a MINI Countryman? Check this out:
A short history of flexible design : Over the course of history, from the age of the Egyptians up to that of Napoleon, a folding chair has always been seen as an object of status and beauty. In recent times this focus has shifted. This is a pity; especially in today’s world the concept of folding has so much to offer!
above: Flux founder Douwe Jacobs and industrial designer Tom Schouten
"A folding chair not only saves valuable floor space and makes moving a breeze, more importantly it allows you to sit down wherever you like. The beach, the park, you name it! Add to that the fact that it’s easy to send by mail, and thus drastically reducing CO2 emissions when transported efficiently in bulk, and you can see why in a modern world foldable furniture is as relevant as it ever was.
Keeping this in mind and being inspired by folded paper sculptures, I folded a tiny, elegant, paper scale model of a chair. Even though it was just a simple cut-out from a single sheet of paper, it was surprisingly strong. And even better: it didn’t look like anything I’d ever seen before!
Early 2009, I and fellow industrial designer Tom Schouten founded our company. We called it Flux, referring to change and the words flexible and luxury. Since then, we have put all our energy into turning this small paper model into our first fully-fledged flexible design: the Flux Chair.
Our goal is to create a new generation of furniture and associated living items; so stay tuned for more flexible designs from Flux!" -- Douwe Jacobs, Founder/Inventor of Flux
Material: polypropylene Dimensions: Centimeters: 64 x 62 x 85. Inches: 25.2 x 24.4 x 33.5 envelop: LWH cm: 1,5 x 85 x 77. Inches: 0.6 x 33.5 x 30.3
Evolution? Revolution? Future surfing solution? The Meyerhoffer is possibly the most radical design innovation in longboarding for a generation.
Maverick designer, Thomas Meyerhoffer, is renowned for his innovative product designs including the ground breaking eMate. His quest was to merge industrial design processes with his passion for surfing.
Using the natural world as an inspiration, “the resulting shape is organic and fluid which seems to fit the wave better. Instead of surfing the wave, the wave surfs you. The board integrates with the wave seamlessly. You become one with the wave.”
above: World Champion surfer Jen Smith on the Meyerhoffer board
above: the radical board design has an hourglass shape
The purpose? “The three main sequences of longboarding – turn, glide and nose riding – are pushed to a higher level. The shape with its different sections has been designed to give you something unique. The total experience is a board that is faster, turns better and delivers a higher level of surf experience”
All boards are constructed in SLX to ensure maximum responsiveness. We have glassed all boards with white tinted epoxy resin. They have 2 x 6oz on deck and 1 x 4oz bottom with a 6oz patch on the fin area. We give the boards the gloss polish finish and they come standard 6” or 8” Centre fin and FCS side fins.
Thomas describing his design:
Designer Cynthia Rowley collaborated with Meyerhoffer for these limited edition versions of the Meyerhoffer board.
The actual press release (with images added by me): The Meyerhoffer Rides Away with The Australian International Design Award 2010 June 7th
The most radical design innovation in longboarding for a generation - the Meyerhoffer Surfboard last night won a very prestigious Australian International Design Award!
The Australian International Design Awards, a division of Standards Australia, is recognised by the Commonwealth Government and the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design [ICSID] as Australia's peak design assessment and promotion body, and for its important role in fostering a culture of design and innovation in Australia. The judges said the board was a ''major design innovation'' that would create ''global shockwaves''.
above: surfer Belinda Baker rides the Meyerhoffer
Manufactured by Global Surf Industries (GSI), this ultra-modern take on the traditional Longboard by world renowned industrial designer Thomas Meyerhoffer brought design excellence into the realm of the everyday surfer last year, increasing the ultimate experience. The groundbreaking design propelled surfing into mainstream consciousness around the world.
above: surfer Michael Wallace rides the Meyerhoffer
Designer of this radical surfboard, Thomas Meyerhoffer, was "over the moon" about receiving the prestigious award. "To be recognised in a country where surf culture rules and is part of everyday life for so many people, is truly special", said Mr. Meyerhoffer.
above: Surfer Mark Kelly with the board, courtesy of Sydney's Daily Telegraph
"I owe many thanks to Mark Kelly of GSI for his vision and surfing skills. Almost two years ago now Mark tried a Meyerhoffer prototype and was convinced that he was surfing better than ever! Now because of Mark, the board is surfed and enjoyed by many surfers worldwide. I'm a proud winner of an Australian International Design Award, but I ultimately hope that the endorsement from the award will make more people to try the board - open up their minds and get a fuller experience on their next wave."
above: Surfer Grant Price on the Meyerhoffer board
Each section of the board is optimised for maximum performance, the design evolving into an incredibly complex shape with three different bottom contours that transitions smoothly into one other with its own purified purpose in an organic and seamlessly effective shape. Just like nature itself. The evolution of the Meyerhoffer has been a process of taking away more than adding to traditional forms, enabling Thomas a greater opportunity to shape the board.
From the wide tail through a minimal waist and into a more classic nose, the design brings short board elements into a longer board to maximize speed and turning, provides paddling ease and high performance nose riding. Every element of the board provides the ability for a smooth transition from front to back.
above: surfer Mike Tabling rides the Meyerhoffer board
GSI'S Managing Director, Mark Kelly, was also in high spirits about being named the winner of the Australian International Design Award. "I am absolutely stoked that we have won this award", he said. "Surfboard design for years has been via fine tuning processes, some so small they can hardly be noticed. Thomas Meyerhoffer helped take surfboard design a giant leap forward".
Evolution or revolution? "I think a bit of both. I am very proud to be part of this design and its launch into the marketplace around the world. The feedback has been great and this award tops it off.
"Global Surf Industries is a company for recreational surfers, and I cannot wait to give every surfer out there the opportunity to ride this innovative piece of modern design," concluded Mr. Kelly.
The Meyerhoffer surfboard is also one of 10 winners and finalists that will be part of a special exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum from July 3rd 2010.
above: the Lester leather indoor deck chair by SODA design.
Design studio SODA Design, based in Vienna, is comprised of Nada Nasrallah and Christian Horner, who met studying Industrial Design at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna and the ENSCI/Les Ateliers in Paris.
They have created tailored, elegant products for such respected and well-known brands as Ligne Roset, MDF Italia, Rapsel spa and Wittman and have garnered numerous awards, nominations and exhibitions for their work.
What intially caught my eye was their stunning leather tufted deck chair and matching ottoman, The Lester — a deckchair for indoor-use with fine leather upholstery produced by Wittmann Möbelwerkstätten.
So, I looked into them a little more and found they have have a project portfolio worth sharing.
Two of their most recent projects: The SO chair presented at SALONE DEL MOBILE 09 at LIGNE-ROSET, and the ARNE bathtub nominated for ELLE DECO International Design Awards
Other projects:
Dorian Mirror/hanger: Leather indoor raft (prototype): The Lester with leather raft and leather innertube prototypes: The Tavolino side table/magazine holder: Salt and Pepe - Magnetic Salt and Pepper shakers: The Rondo chair: The Lux - an illuminated bar table: The York leather sofa:
About the designers:
Coming from the different professional backgrounds of carpentry and gold/silversmith, the common interest that lead to their working together was the taking up of challenging design projects. With teaching experience from the NDC/Kingston University and work experience at Sottsass Associati and Paolo Rizzatto in Milan, Philips Design Vienna/ Singapore and SAGEM, Soda Designers are now based in Vienna and are engaged in a variety of projects covering furniture, consumer-electronics and interior design.
