Student Creates Shape Shifting Furniture Design that Transforms into 14 Forms

FDT Bureau

During his time in a cramped hostel room, architecture student Madhur Sharma faced the challenge of fitting essential furniture into a small space. This constraint sparked his creativity, leading him to design a versatile piece of furniture capable of transforming into 14 different forms, from a chair and table to a TV unit. Madhur’s innovation was driven by the need to maximize space in his limited living area, which inspired him to create a multi-functional furniture piece that could be adapted to various uses. Know more about it on FURNITURE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (FDT).

According to Madhur his hostel room was so small that it couldn’t accommodate all the furniture he needed. This limitation pushed him to design a piece that could serve multiple functions and be easily stored when not in use. His design journey began in his first year of college and was completed two years later. Madhur’s design addresses several key factors, namely, social, economic and environmental.

Understanding that many people in small apartments struggle with space and the high cost of furniture, he aimed to create an affordable solution. His multi-functional furniture, reportedly priced at Rs 12,000, offers a cost-effective option, with each block costing about Rs 850. The design also emphasizes environmental sustainability by utilizing just one cubic foot of material for all its components, thereby reducing resource consumption. Inspired by the human body’s joints—shoulders, pelvis and knees—that enable movement, Madhur incorporated similar principles into his design, allowing the furniture to transform between various shapes. This approach not only supports environmental conservation but also makes the furniture user-friendly. Damaged parts can be easily replaced without discarding the entire piece, further contributing to resource efficiency.

Though his design initially diverged from traditional architectural expectations, it won acclaim at the Apeejay Institute of Technology—School of Architecture & Planning (AIT).  Since 2018, Madhur has expanded his portfolio with ten additional furniture pieces, seven of which are multifunctional. His latest venture, a startup named R Poid (responsive to anthropoid), focuses on creating user-friendly, innovative furniture. He is currently taking orders from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, and exploring mass production and export opportunities. Additionally, he has designed a piece of furniture capable of transforming into 16 different shapes, setting a new benchmark in multifunctional design.

Image credit: Madhur Sharma