Putchair: Redefining Furniture with Squishy Black Spheres

Alicia Rühr's Innovative Stool Design

Alicia Rühr, a talented designer, has created a truly unique piece of furniture called Putchair. This innovative stool challenges traditional notions of form and function by consisting of numerous identical pieces that can be assembled as needed. The inspiration for this design came from a university project where Rühr was tasked with creating a chair or stool that considered human interaction and its relation to the surrounding space. The result is a visually striking black mass that can be transformed into various forms to suit the user's needs.

What sets Putchair apart from other stools is its ability to dissolve and disengage from its function, becoming more of an abstract object than a conventional piece of furniture. Its functionality exists only through the will and actions of the user. By assembling and connecting the individual pieces, the stool embodies a momentary need rather than being limited to a default setting. This flexibility allows Putchair to adapt to different situations and user preferences.

The realization of Putchair involved careful consideration of materials and construction techniques. Rühr experimented with various options, including corn-based pellets, cotton wool, and tights, before settling on soft foam material, balloons, and adhesive Velcro dots. Each ball of the stool is created by widening and cutting off two balloons to encase a foam cube. The small globes are then connected using Velcro dots, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly.

With an edge length of approximately 400mm, Putchair consists of 216 individual balls, each with a diameter of around 70mm. The construction required a total of 432 black balloons, 1296 adhesive Velcro dots, and 2.16sqm of 10mm thick foam material. The result is a visually striking and tactile stool that challenges traditional notions of furniture design.

Putchair's unique design and materiality make it a truly immersive and interactive piece of furniture. The stool can be easily assembled by connecting two balls using their Velcro dots, creating a secure and stable structure. Disassembling the stool is just as simple, allowing for quick adjustments and reconfigurations. This fast handling makes Putchair suitable for a variety of settings and user needs.

Alicia Rühr's Putchair project was created in June 2017 as part of a sprint project at her university in Munich. The design is based on the idea of an undefined black mass that can be formed by the user to fit their needs. Extensive research into different materials and forms led Rühr to the conclusion that the most immaterial impression could be achieved through small, black spheres. The challenges of the project included finding the right materials to convey the desired aesthetic and the labor-intensive process of building the prototype.

Putchair has received recognition for its innovative design. In 2019, it was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category. This prestigious award honors designs that exhibit strong technical and creative skills and contribute to quality of life improvements. Putchair's unique blend of functionality, immateriality, and visual impact truly sets it apart in the world of furniture design.