Lost and Found

(all images via http://www.furniturestoreblog.com)

The Lost in Sofa chair design helps you store things in an unexpected way. I found this creative industrial design by architect Daisuke Motogi on a furniture website. The whole chair is cushion designed, so users can ‘stuff’ objects in between multiple cushions. This clever design can attract consumers that have similar needs and habits, but the product comfort and performance can be revised.

The outline of the chair is built with square shaped cushions. The form seems visually hard, but the material used is soft. The color grey also softens down the form and shape of the design. Safety issues would be less worrisome since the design is completely covered with cushions, unless there are sharp objects placed in the cushions. In addition, sticking stainable food and liquid would be dangerous. Furthermore, if anything is stuffed in to the chair, people need to be more careful when standing around and sitting down in the chair.

Adding to the safety issues, functional comfort representing a major part of the chair design process. Although cushioning should bring comfort, the sharp edges and outline overtake the inflexibility. The design of the Lost in Sofa chair did not include head and neck supports. Moreover, there is no curve support for the overall human body and gesture, since the chair was designed with vertical and horizontal surfaces, like grids. However, if you see it more as an organize storage, it is used with softer material compared to usual storages, including wood and steel. The comfort of the chair design is not well thought out.

There is not much space in between every cushion gaps. And it is hard to find an interior space to place this chair design since all of its side should be fully used for storing. The design is easy to use for consumers who usually prefer leaving items on or around their chair.

Other than being user friendly, the performance of the Lost in Sofa chair is used to store books, magazines, newspapers, phones, spare change, remote controllers, and more. This is an idea of a multi-function design, and also, working against all odds. Because of the ethical idea of keeping clean and neat in space, designer Motogi slightly works against ethics. As a result, he creates chair design for consumers that feel more comfortable in the sense of disorganization. However, the seat space is only limited for a single person. If there are also designs of a longer sofa made with more cushions, it might give buyers more opportunity to play with the design.

Last but not least, the aesthetic design added the final touch and décor for the product. The Lost in Sofa design is more suitable in a modern space. Its overall design appear neat, clean, with a neutral color tone. And as an industrially designed object, it is seen as a moderate sculpture or an organized squared chair as itself.

It is appropriate to combine the function of storage and seating together because you often need places to put things. For example, after reading a magazine, you can stick the magazine in to the chair and sleep. It is sometimes frustrating to not have any place to put your things. This chair design is user-centered with having cushions around the seat and places to stuff. The Ergonomic design of the chair is not focused on functions like safety and comfort, but the easiness, performance, and beauty.