Industrial Design
Al Deyafah Chair
Al Deyafah means hospitality. The chair takes its form from the finjan, the small cup Arabic coffee is served to guests in, and its base from the saucer beneath it. Designed for the Chair Competition 2023, run by Saudi Arabia's Architecture and Design Commission, which asked for a unique chair that reflects Saudi culture.
"A unique chair that reflects our culture"
The Commission's brief treated the chair as a reflection of social, cultural, economic, and artistic life: sized to the human body, and closer to an artwork than a plain seat.
Entries were judged on the design idea, aesthetics, human dimensions, usability, and feasibility, including cost and sustainable materials. The answer is a lounge chair for modern hotels, majlises, and homes.
The cup and the saucer
The seat follows the finjan's curved, tapered form, so the shell wraps around the sitter. The base takes the line of the saucer. The upholstery on the seat and backrest is designed to carry motifs common on Arabian coffee cups.
A shell engraved like a majlis wall
The shell is engraved with motifs drawn from the paintings on Saudi majlis walls: lines, branch-like figures, and many triangles and squares. The backrest adds carving based on patterns from Saudi architecture.
Sustainable materials
- Recycled wood. Used for the structure.
- Sustainable foam padding. Replaces conventional petroleum-based foam.
- Cork leather finish. A cruelty-free alternative to animal leather for the upholstery.
- Costed to build. Estimated at 150 to 300 USD per chair, with 6 to 8 hours of labour each.
By the numbers
The competition submission carries the concept, the drawings, the materials, and the cost estimate.