läufer & keichel: armchair coupe for OFFECCT

‘coupe’ by läufer & keichel for OFFECCT – the principle of fashion design: from laminal to three-dimensional image © OFFECCT 2012

german design studio läufer & keichel (julia läufer and marcus keichel) have created ‘coupe armchair’ for swedish brand OFFECCT. the seating object features a removable upholstered cover that is cut like a pantsuit and made in one piece. this ‘garment’, together with firmly sewn seat and back cushions, is pulled over a supporting metal frame and sealed along the legs with zippers. the outer elastic fabric surface is made from pure new wool and produced in an industrial 3D piece-by-piece knitting process that was especially developed for ‘coupe’. thanks to this computerized process, upholstery comfort is created by combining a total of three layers. the knitting lines, which connect the single layers to each other, are designed to look like strong markers along the surface once the fabric has been fitted to the frame. the chair can be easily expanded to become a product family, by applying its structural principle to the dimensions of an easy chair and a sofa. the furniture piece can be used in both public and private settings. OFFECCT presents the ‘coupe armchair’ at the stockholm furniture and light fair 2012.

alternative views of ‘coupe’ images © OFFECCT

prototypes of removable chair covers / ‘pantsuits’ image © läufer & keichel

3D piece-by-piece knitted fabric – especially developed for coupe image © OFFECCT

3D knitted fabric, uncut image © läufer & keichel

‘pantsuit’ pulled over a frame and sealed along the legs with zippers image © läufer & keichel

prototyping, cut of first model in scale 1 to 1 image © läufer & keichel

prototyping, first model in scale 1 to 1 image © läufer & keichel

prototyping, pantsuits, cushions and frames in scale 1 to 3 and 1 to 2.5 image © läufer & keichel

prototyping  image © läufer & keichel

quilted fabric, flat pantsuit image © läufer & keichel

paper pattern image © läufer & keichel

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