Barely Chair

Creating a physical object that defies the laws of physics

Made from one single 1,000 meter long string impregnated with soy-based resin, Barely Chair is both physically light (merely 2.1 lbs), and visually light, easily blending with a variety of environments and tastes.

Architect Danielle Connelly and I collaborated to capitalize on our expertise for Roche Bobois, combining the most soft and feminine qualities of textiles with the structural and formal qualities of architecture. Our objective was to allow textiles to transcend the limits of structural dependency. How could we dissolve the traditional structural scaffolding of furniture while strengthening a fiber to become both the structure and the upholstery?

We paired careful geometries with a composite of eco-friendly soy-based epoxy and cotton butcher string. This created a wear-resistant, structurally sound and lightweight material that is aligned with Roche Bobois’ sustainability goals of minimal materials and a long service life.

One key insight of our vast material experiments was that circular knit patterns coupled with cylindrical geometry created the most robust properties, which became a basis of all our future models.

For more information, including material and molding experiments, visit the Lab section of this website.