Furniture design nowadays features versatility in design and purpose, with some offering great artistic aesthetics. Take the Parchment Stool, a collaborative project between designer Alberto Essesi and architect Saul Kim. Its functional usability isn’t easily visible as it looks just like a piece of curved metal.
But this is its design. This furniture comprises a single sheet of steel carefully bent with specific folds draped over wooden cylinders to mimic the fluidity of draped fabric. These wooden elements seem to lift the metal, painting a picture of a scroll being unfurled.
The Parchment Stool features two curved surfaces. One slopes downward and has a larger surface area to serve as the seat. Meanwhile, the other curves upward and is smaller in size. This serves as a desk of some sort to hold various small items.
Then on either side, the metal sheet stands upright to serve as the supporting legs. But looking at it begs the question of durability and stability. Is it strong enough to hold weight? Essesi and Kim ensured the stool’s structural integrity and functionality by testing different steel thicknesses. This way, it can hold pressure and weight without sacrificing style.
Using precision bending, the steel transforms into an organic form with the wood adding a beautiful contrasting element. The result is the Parchment Stool, which perfectly balances material strength and elegance. The smooth and continuous surface gives the impression it is floating on air. Yet if offers both usability while maintaining an elegant and sleek form.
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Images courtesy of Essesi
