Forma Chair

Forma Chair

Forma Chair is an award-winning furniture design that represents a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional leatherworking techniques through the application of wet molding processes, a centuries-old method historically employed in saddlery and equestrian equipment fabrication. Designed by Jaewoo Choi and completed in Providence, Rhode Island, between January and May 2023, this experimental furniture piece draws its conceptual foundation from the timeless silhouette of a horse's saddle, translating the structural integrity and fluid forms inherent in equestrian craftsmanship into a functional seating solution that bridges heritage techniques with modern design sensibilities. The chair employs wet molding as its primary fabrication technique, a process wherein vegetable-tanned leather is saturated with water to increase its malleability, then shaped over forms and allowed to dry, resulting in permanently structured configurations that maintain both sculptural precision and material durability. This technique, while fundamental to historical leather craftsmanship, remains underexplored within contemporary furniture design, positioning Forma Chair as an investigation into the adaptive potential of traditional material manipulation methods. The design measures 560 millimeters in width, 605 millimeters in depth, and 670 millimeters in height, constructed from vegetable-tanned leather, medium-density fiberboard, and steel, materials selected for their complementary structural properties and aesthetic compatibility. The vegetable-tanned leather, processed using natural tannins derived from plant matter rather than chemical agents, offers superior moldability and develops a distinctive patina over time, characteristics that enhance both the chair's visual evolution and its connection to artisanal traditions. The wet molding process employed in Forma Chair enables seamless transitions between soft and rigid elements within a single continuous surface, creating a sculptural rhythm that balances comfort with structural support, while the technique's inherent capacity for creating three-dimensional forms without seams or joints contributes to the design's visual coherence and material efficiency. The chair's development involved extensive material-driven research, examining leather's flexibility, structural limitations, and response to various manipulation techniques, with this empirical investigation informing the refinement of forms that push the boundaries of what can be achieved through traditional leatherworking methods adapted for contemporary applications. Forma Chair serves dual functions as both a practical seating solution and a sculptural statement piece, its structured yet fluid form allowing integration into various interior contexts while maintaining a distinctive aesthetic presence that highlights materiality, craftsmanship, and the transformative potential of time-honored fabrication techniques. The design challenges conventional applications of wet molding by experimenting with new shaping methods and testing the adaptability of leather in furniture contexts, thereby expanding the discourse surrounding material exploration and the preservation of craft knowledge within modern design practice. The interplay between softness and rigidity achieved through the wet molding process reflects a sophisticated understanding of material behavior, as the leather's capacity to transition from pliable to firm enables the creation of forms that would be difficult or impossible to achieve through alternative fabrication methods, while simultaneously honoring the material's inherent qualities rather than forcing it into unnatural configurations. Forma Chair's recognition with the Iron A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category in 2025 acknowledges its contribution to advancing furniture design through innovative material application, with this prestigious accolade affirming the design's successful integration of traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design thinking, its demonstration of technical competence and creative capacity, and its practical innovation in addressing the challenge of recontextualizing historical techniques for modern applications. The A' Design Award evaluation criteria for furniture design encompasses innovative use of materials, ergonomic comfort, aesthetic appeal, functionality and usability, durability and longevity, environmental sustainability, originality and creativity, production efficiency, space optimization, adaptive design, cultural relevance, inclusive design, technological integration, material exploration, user experience enhancement, craftsmanship excellence, design versatility, safety considerations, cost-effectiveness, and market potential, standards against which Forma Chair was assessed and found to meet the rigorous professional and industrial requirements expected of well-designed furniture. The chair's employment of vegetable-tanned leather also carries environmental considerations, as this tanning method utilizes renewable plant-based materials and produces biodegradable leather that can return to the earth at the end of its lifecycle, contrasting with chrome-tanned alternatives that involve heavy metals and synthetic chemicals, thereby aligning the design with growing concerns regarding sustainable material selection in furniture production. The design's exploration of wet molding techniques contributes to the broader discourse on material-driven design methodologies, wherein the inherent properties and behaviors of materials inform and guide the development of forms rather than imposing predetermined shapes upon resistant substances, an approach that often yields more authentic and materially honest results while simultaneously expanding designers' understanding of their chosen media. Forma Chair's reference to saddlery heritage establishes a conceptual lineage connecting contemporary furniture design with historical craft traditions, acknowledging that many modern fabrication techniques evolved from practical solutions developed over centuries of artisanal practice, and that revisiting these methods can yield insights applicable to current design challenges while preserving valuable craft knowledge that might otherwise be lost to industrialization and mass production. The chair's sculptural qualities elevate it beyond purely functional furniture into the realm of design objects that contribute aesthetic and cultural value to interior environments, demonstrating that utilitarian items need not sacrifice artistic expression, and that the integration of form and function remains a viable and valuable pursuit within contemporary design practice. The structural integrity achieved through wet molding in Forma Chair results from the leather's molecular transformation during the drying process, as the collagen fibers within the material realign and bond in their new configuration, creating a rigid structure that maintains its shape without requiring extensive internal frameworks or supports, thereby demonstrating an efficient use of material that minimizes waste while maximizing structural performance. The design's completion timeline of five months reflects the iterative nature of material experimentation and form development, as working with traditional techniques often requires extended periods of testing, observation, and refinement to achieve desired results, particularly when adapting historical methods to contemporary applications that may not have established precedents or documented best practices. Forma Chair's contribution to furniture design extends beyond its immediate physical manifestation to encompass its role in demonstrating the continued relevance of traditional craftsmanship within contemporary practice, challenging assumptions that innovation necessarily requires abandonment of historical techniques, and instead proposing that deep engagement with traditional methods can reveal unexplored potentials and generate novel applications that honor heritage while advancing the field.

Leatherworking, Wet Molding, Material Exploration, Experimental Furniture Design, Vegetable Tanned Leather, Sculptural Seating

— Adam Dawson

CITATION : "Adam Dawson. 'Forma Chair.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/forma-chair?E=483639 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"