Remain

Today, most sofas are designed as one solid piece of mixed materials, making them difficult to move, repair, clean and efficiently recycle.

Remain offers an alternative by being based on circular design principles. It is a modular sofa system that can be assembled, disassembled and reassembled multiple times without the use of tools. The user can adapt it to accommodate for new needs and preferences, and easily move it to a new location or owner, prolonging its useful life.

The product only consists of renewable and recyclable materials that can be separated from each other, single components can be repaired or replaced, and separate materials sorted and recycled. The materials come from: solid beech wood, birch plywood, steel pipes and sheet, natural latex foam, coir (coconut fiber) and organic cotton.

Lastly, I wanted the sofa coverings to resemble a modern version of a classic patchwork where the fabric comes from waste or leftover material. The additional fabric loops both help hold the pillows in place and can be used as an extra protection that is easy to wash or replace. The loops also create the opportunity to renew or personalize the product. Like a table cloth, people do not paint their dining tables red each Christmas, but they often change the cloth.

Keywords: Sofa, furniture design, circular design, Design for Disassembly, modularity