the Non Chair.

(Concept)

Why don’t people repair their chair when it is broken, but instead disregard the whole chair when only one part breaks?

After researching more than 250 disregarded chairs we found out that one of the reasons people throw away products is that they see the product as a whole, and when one part breaks, the whole thing is incomplete so it is better to just throw it away. We came up with the question: how can we design a product so that it encourages the user to repair the product, and can we make it so that the repair adds value to the product?

Answering this was hard. We have looked everywhere for a solution to this almost philosophical question and got some answers from an unexpected quarter: Buddhism. Mainly in the concept of the non-self. In short buddhism states that there is no permanent concept of the self and that everything is subject to change, like a river, the water in the river changes over time but the concept of “the river” is still there. When applying this concept to design we found that we could embrace the change that arises after repair.

Originating from this way of thinking, we propose a new way of looking at products, instead of seeing a chair as a chair or a lamp as a lamp, let’s take a look at it’s parts. Altogether a chair is only a concept that we’ve made up. That’s why we call our chair, the non-chair. It’s not a chair, it’s just parts assembled together. Changing over time.

The non-chair is made out of an easy-to-use modulair system existing out of six equal connectors that form the base of the seat and the backrest. The connectors are linked with 25mm pipes, some with a simple bend in them. The tube and connectors are kept in place by a hex socket. The connection between the seat and the backrest with the frame is supported by a small rubber part that makes the chair comfortable to sit in. The chair can be used with or without armrests depending on the preferences of the user.

All parts are deliberately painted in a slightly different color. When one part breaks, and is replaced with a newer version, you won’t see the difference, and it will not change the value of the product. This way we can extend the life of a chair. Changing parts over time and making it future proof.

Because of its simple design the nonchair can be produced locally, anywhere in the world. For this submission we have used aluminium extruded tubes and casted connectors, with an ash plywood seating as these materials are locally produced in Europe and are very durable on the long term. But you could imagine the same chair made of totally different materials in a different part of the world.

Dimensions: 55 x 55 x 83 cm

Year: 2021

Together with : Studio Joris Wintgens