As a designer, I find myself constantly researching and looking for new, exciting ways to approach design, whether it is from an aesthetic perspective, a materiality perspective, innovation, or cultural storytelling. Seeing what others are doing sparks a curiosity that can lead to further development, not in a sense where you are copying, but using it to see how you can further critically challenge what is the status quo today. I have highlighted a designer who I am finding inspiration from these days, by the name of Pablo Octavio.
“Lapis Lazuli” is a lounge chair that plays with the viewer’s expectations. At first glance, it appears hard, rough, and perhaps even uncomfortable, hardly inviting. Yet this perception is quickly overturned upon sitting, revealing a surprisingly soft and accommodating form.
Despite its stone-like appearance, the chair is constructed entirely from foam, treated with a specialized coating that makes it resistant to dirt and water.
Each chair begins as a single block of foam, which is carefully torn into two parts to form the base and backrest. This process, balancing chance and intention, produces a richly textured, stone-like surface, giving every piece a distinct and individual character
