5x5 Chair

5x5 Chair

5x5 Chair is an innovative furniture design that exemplifies how material limitations can be transformed into creative opportunities. Created by Slovenian designer Barbara Princic, this distinctive seating solution showcases the innovative use of xilith, a unique raw material found 300 meters beneath the earth's surface in coal deposits. The chair's most striking feature is its composition of 5x5 centimeter tiles made from xilith, which presents significant manufacturing challenges due to the material's inherent hardness and fragility. The design incorporates a sophisticated structural framework consisting of nickel-treated metal tubular legs and laser-cut metal sheet supports, upon which the xilith tiles are carefully arranged and adhered. Measuring 470mm in width, 540mm in depth, and 840mm in height, the chair demonstrates exceptional ergonomic qualities while addressing environmental concerns by repurposing a material that would otherwise be discarded as industrial waste. Each piece is inherently unique due to the natural variation in xilith tiles, which can present different brown to black tonalities, and when properly treated, can achieve an appearance similar to precious ebony. The chair's design, which earned a Silver A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category, represents a remarkable fusion of material innovation, environmental consciousness, and functional aesthetics. The project, completed in 2008, demonstrates how experimental approaches to material usage can yield both environmentally responsible and aesthetically pleasing results in contemporary furniture design.

sustainable design, material innovation, experimental furniture, ergonomic seating, industrial waste repurposing, contemporary chair design

— Adam Dawson

CITATION : "Adam Dawson. '5x5 Chair.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/5x5-chair?E=454099 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"