Basis : a chair design inspired by the Bauhaus past

The aim of the this product workshop was to design objects to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the Bauhaus movement, but to envision them in the near-future context. 

DESIGN RESEARCH   +   IDEATION   +   PROTOTYPING   +   STORYTELLING

The work of the Bauhaus was intended to be a collaboration among the designer, user, and space, allowing for a redefinition of how we live and interact with our environment. Every piece should be as simple as possible, facilitating as much use in as many combinations and adaptations, and without controlling the environment. Inspired by that notion, and the design of Marcel Breuer’s Cesca Chair, we tried to reimagine a seating concept for the near-future market.

Final Prototype

We arrived at a piece of furniture that addresses the needs of users in the current/near-future context­—people live in less space, move often, and combine work and home lives. Our design featured a dynamic shifting surface that can be changed from hard to soft; a spectrum of use between task and comfort.  

Featured in The MIT Press, Bauhaus Futures book (2019).

TEAM MEMBERS:         Andrew Bates         Isabel Dec        PROFESSOR:         Martin Thaler