This Furniture Series Intricately Folds itself into Minimal Designs | Rising Furniture

FDT Bureau

Dutch designer Robert van Embricqs has created a unique furniture series called Rising Furniture, which features pieces made of bamboo that are capable of intricately folding themselves up into minimal designs. Inspired by natural forms, van Embricqs explores the idea of objects dictating their own design. He uses a minimalistic design approach that involves a balanced collaboration between the designer and the material, allowing the material to dictate the way it shapes and forms. Here is a detailed report on FURNITURE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (FDT).

One of the designs in the Rising Furniture series is the Rising Chair, which starts with a flat surface and transforms into a chair with distinct features of a back, seat and legs. The cuts made on the flat surface are pulled up to create the chair's organic shape, and the rhythm of the wooden beams gives it a unique aesthetic. The cuts are most visible when the chair is in its flat position, and the final shape of the chair is determined by the various arches of the wooden beams, creating a special connection between the creator and the material.

Another design in the series is the Rising Side Table, which combines elegance and functionality with its levitating tabletop illusion. The wooden beams are twisted around their axis, creating a sturdy latticework that appears to be in a constant wave-like motion. The Rising Side Table is constructed using a hinge system that ensures rigidity and ease of handling, without compromising its aesthetic qualities.

The Rising Table, also part of the Rising Furniture series, follows the same design approach of starting with a flat surface that is capable of transforming into a stylish piece of furniture. The design of the table is inspired by natural concepts, and the incision pattern in the flat surface creates a latticework of woven bamboo beams that form the centre of the table. The multi-faceted tabletop blends with the bamboo beams, which sprout four legs to hold up the entire construction, creating a surprising mixture of fluid design and functionality.

The Rising Light Fixtures in the series revisit the core principle of the Rising design by making cuts in flat surfaces and allowing them to rise up. The light fixtures are made entirely of natural, laminated bamboo and incorporate LED lighting into the bamboo beams. When the light fixtures are unfolded into their final shape, the light shines upward, illuminating the entire construction and creating a spectacular display of light and shadow.

Lastly, the Rising Seat is another folding design in the Rising Furniture line. It follows the same concept of starting with a flat surface that transforms into a seat with unique features. The Rising Seat is a testament to the Rising design approach, where the material dictates and guides the ultimate design while ensuring practicality and usability.

Image credit: Robert van Embricqs