Ikea’s independent design research lab Space10 launches ‘Couch in an Envelope’, a new project that aims at reimagining the sofa as a flat-packed, modular, and light furniture piece. Designed in collaboration with Swiss studio Panter&Tourron (founded by Alexis Tourron and Stefano Panterotto) and involving AI in the process, the new couch concept follows the concerns of modern living, from space-saving to circularity.
Ikea's ‘Couch in an Envelope’: flat-packed, modular, flexible
The design's starting point is the sofa's frame: lightweight (only 10 kg), modular and conceived for easy assembly and disassembly, it is made of 100 per cent recyclable materials. The couch comes flat-packed, in packaging allowing a single person to carry it by a handle, but also allowing wider distribution in a seamless, cost-efficient and more sustainable manner. Materials include an aluminium frame, cellulose based fabrics and yarns, and mycelium foam.
Additionally, the couch's design takes modern living into consideration: its modular compositions can be adjusted to fit with a person's needs around the home, and changed during the day, from a place of rest to a more social spot.
‘This project began as a way to challenge problematic design archetypes,' says Georgina McDonald, Creative & Partnerships, Space10. 'The couch, as we know it today, is a complicated and high-maintenance piece of furniture, to find and to move. However beloved it is, the couch is often a strain on people owing to its weight, on the planet due to its design intricacies, and a burden on the friends who generously help us to move. The project is an agenda for change, inspiring the design community to move further towards a couch that is better for us – and the planet.'
Designing with AI
The new sofa concept was conceived using AI tools to define the design direction. The starting point for ‘Couch in an Envelope’ involved questioning the traditional sofa: 'Bulky, cushioned, heavy: why do so many couches follow the same form?,' wondered the design team. They discovered that on AI tools and platforms, the word 'couch' always generated a typical, ultra-recognisable shape.
‘Outdated, unsustainable design archetypes embedded in large language models are problematic in algorithms, and negatively impact the future of design,' says Alexis Tourron. 'Presently, AI can only take us so far in design innovation before craft, and the human hand needs to intervene.’
The team then tweaked the prompts to expand the design's scope. New words included ‘platform,’ ‘lightweight,’ ‘sustainable,’ ‘recyclable,’ and ‘easy to move,’ which helped the designers expand the traditional concept into a new idea that considered lightness, flexibility and circularity.
‘Comfort is primarily the main requirement when designing a couch, which can compromise durability and sustainability,' adds Panterotto. 'We wanted to simplify the material composition, prioritise weight, disassembly and circularity. We’ve envisaged something that’s 100 per cent recyclable, without sacrificing softness. “Couch in an Envelope” is a new generation of comfort.’
“Couch in an Envelope” can be discovered at Design in the Age of AI at Space10 Gallery, open until 30 November 2023
Flæsketorvet 10
1711 Copenhagen
Denmark
