JUDGES’ PICK: Aarea

Photography by Teknion

London-based Pearson Lloyd tell a compelling sustainability story about minimal components and materials with this new conference chair that comprises just five parts: a tubular steel frame; a flexible elastomeric mesh knit back; an upholstered seat cushion; recycled plastic arm pads and a recycled aluminum star base. The mesh back is produced with 3D printing, a technology that creates seamless, intricately patterned textiles without the need for cutting or sewing, thereby reducing waste by using only the exact amount of material required for the design. The ingredients for the textile include retrieved ocean plastic, minimizing the use of virgin materials. Inevitably, wear and tear occur at different rates to a chair’s components. To that end, Aarea knocks down to its constituent parts, allowing the chair to be serviced when needed rather than getting trashed, forestalling obsolescence and extending its lifespan. However, at the end of Aarea’s lifecycle, all components can be recycled, further enhancing the chair’s low carbon output.

“Aarea is the pinnacle of commercial-grade seating. This chair combines elegance and simplicity, designed with a vision for sustainability and longevity. In a world where most commercial furniture is destined for the landfill at the first sign of wear or during office relocations, Aarea shines as a beacon of innovation. It empowers users to effortlessly repair or recycle, setting a new standard for responsible design in commercial furniture. It doesn’t just meet expectations; it redefines them, proving that true elegance is found in both form and function.” — Cathy Knott, principal, Kasian Architecture and Interior Design

“The Aarea conference chair design description inspires a vision of what a chair succeeding at using minimal components, recycled material, and considering circularity would look like. This vision of reduced material complexity results in rudimentary forms. The Aarea is anything but rudimentary. It’s an inviting form that can be well placed in both boardroom and more informal work and social settings. It succeeds at uniting the concept of circularity with a successful design aesthetic.” — Kate Tessier, owner & principal, Kilowatt Kate

“The Aarea chair is a dynamic relationship bridging seemingly divergent qualities and aspirations with authenticity. Adaptable to both formal office environments as well as relaxed residential settings, Area appears classic, sophisticated and casual but neither pretentious nor trite. Simple and complex, the gentle organic surface is the resultant outcome of soft breathable textile stretched over an organic tubular sub-structure. Aarea’s surfaces adjust and conform to the weight and movement of a sitting position. A custom ergonomic fit unique to every individual.

Engineered for disassembly and repair (DfD), Aarea’s design of minimal modular components is purposeful and resolute, proposing an extended life cycle. Constructed from durable quality materials, simple to repair and easy to update/refresh, Aarea gracefully addresses concepts of longevity and sustainability.” — David Quan