Country Pick 2017 / / Professional

Flip-flop

• Company
  Studio Niko Kapa, United Arab Emirates
• Lead Designer
  Niko Kapa
• Client
  Dorma Dubai
• Project Link
  view

When you bend a strip of plywood you get an elastic curve.
What geometry does this curve follow? The main structural
elements are strips of plywood that fold in a specific and
supplementary manner, in line with proportions of the human
body so as to establish the dimensions of the chair.

Flexibility and transformation are the fundamental ideas behind
this design. The design allows the chair to migrate between
different settings and respond to moods and needs of the
user, since it can be transformed just by flipping it. This results
to 2 different seating postures and designs as per the user’s
needs. Besides the alteration, this gives the product a visual
consolidation, emphasizing the reduction of materials and
unification of forms.

Structural stability is attained by the overlapping plywood
strips that curve into one another and are glued on connection
points. The curve segments are combined together taking into
account physically satisfying posture as well as ergonomics.
These provide the necessary flexibility that thin layers of
plywood offer as a construction material, together with the
cushions attached to them. Cushions are designed to act as an
extension of the chair’s main framing, having as a basic
principle the minimum use of material and minimum number of
construction elements.

The manufacturing process used for the plywood is steam
bending – a low energy, low waste process using no toxic
glues, just water. The process of steaming the wood also
seasons it at the same as it is bent, using a fraction of the
energy required in conventional kiln drying. Besides the natural
beech wood finish, two colored types for the wooden parts are
proposed: black & white.

Bio
Niko Kapa is an award winning Architect, Industrial Designer and Researcher based in Dubai. He is the founder of Studio Niko Kapa, a multidisciplinary team that supports innovation using research as an integral part of the design process. The practice balances between architecture and product design, embracing the language of functionality, construction efficiency, and brand identity.

Other prizes
International Design Award, Gold Prize (Architecture-Landmarks), Los Angeles 2017 International Design Award, Gold Prize (Architecture-Conceptual) / Los Angeles 2017 International Design Award, Bronze Prize (Architecture-Sustainability) / Los Angeles 2017 International Design Award, Bronze Prize (Architecture-Institutional) / Los Angeles 2017 Red Dot Award, Shortlisted, Singapore 2017 Audi Innovation Award, 3rd Prize, Dubai 2017 AIA Emerging Professionals, Laureate, Washington, D.C. 2017 European Product Design Award, Platinum Prize (Transportation), Brussels 2017 European Product Design Award, Silver Prize (Home Interior Products), Brussels 2017 European Product Design Award, Honourable Mention (Interior Furniture), Brussels 2017 German Design Award, Special Mention, Frankfurt 2017 AIA Middle East Design Award, Merit Award, Cairo 2016 Spark International Award, Gold Prize, New York 2016 DAF Award, Shortlisted, New Delhi 2016 Iconic Award, Best of Best, Munich 2016 American Architecture Prize, Bronze Prize (Institutional Architecture) / New York 2016 Asia Architecture Award, 2nd Prize (Innovative Design), Austria 2016 DA Industrial Design Award, Winner, Italy 2016 RTF Sustainability Award, 1st Prize (Cultural Architecture), India 2016 RTF Sustainability Award, 1st Prize (Sports & Recreation Architecture), India 2016 RTF Sustainability Award, 3rd Prize (Mixed Use Architecture), India 2016 WAN Award, Longlist (Future Projects), United Kingdom 2016 A’ Design Award, Bronze Prize (Social Design), Italy 2016 Florim Exhib-it!, Finalist, Milan 2016 International Architecture Design Award, Silver Prize, Italy 2015 International Green Design Award, Silver Prize, Italy 2015 Future of Shade Competition, 1st Prize, New York 2015 A’ Design Award, Silver Prize (Futuristic Design), Italy 2015 Natural Systems Competition, Special Mention, New York 2013 Yamaha Xenter Design Award, Laureate 2012 WA Awards, Laureate 2010