ákos huber subtly blends elegance and dominance for 'wing sofa'

motivated by the subtle dominance of the iconic statue of nike of samothrace at the louvre, designer ákos huber has crafted the quietly assertive ‘wing sofa’. a sculpture in its own right, the winged seat was created by fixing veneers of beech plywood to a template by vacuum suction.

the winged seat was created by fixing veneers of beech plywood to a template by vacuum suction

the statue’s influence over the final product is evident in huber’s potent combination of elegance and power. the curving silhouette coupled with the modest tone of the wood generates a persona of noble fluidity. the seat — created from rope woven through the plywood sheets of the base and the back — lends an organic quality to the piece, and equips the chair with a pleasing juxtaposition: the delicate strands provide the necessary tension to brace the more structurally sound wooden frame. huber’s aim was to create a concept capable of fulfilling more than just its everyday function.

the seat is created from rope woven through the plywood sheets of the base and the back

the ropes themselves are finished in a marine knot, a nod to the history of the statue. ‘the winged victory of samothrace’, also known as ‘nike of samothrace’, was sculpted in celebration of a naval victory sometime around 190 BC. in the design of ‘wing sofa’, that which is most delicate is proven most vital.

the defined lines and curvature of the silhouette evoke an aura of both strength and fluidity

the ropes themselves are finished in a marine knot, a nod to the history of the statue

the rope of the seat braces the frame, each working to support the other

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: peter corboy | designboom