HUT: An Outdoor Armchair

Considering the topic of care design, I decided to address the problem for some people, elderly and not, to bear the cold in outdoor contexts. Especially in the region of South Tyrol, where this project was developed, it is customary for restaurateurs to offer blankets by placing them on the chairs back. On the other hand, there are products similar to blankets designed for wheelchairs or rocking chairs. Between these two realities, I want to insert my project, giving everyone the possibility to enjoy the winter outside.

The result is HUT, an outdoor armchair whose unconventional design allows the upholstery to be transformed into a blanket, which can be used at will to keep yourself warm. Inspired by the Alpine tradition of wood furniture and the local architectural heritage, Hut is composed of three levels: a structure of curved, tapered, and powder-coated iron tubes, which represents the skeleton; a first quilt filled with polyurethane foam shapes, which represents the padding; and a second quilt that acts as a duvet. The quilts, intentionally rectangular, are transformed into the upholstery of the armchair through an intelligent system of folds and anchoring points. This Disruptive approach to upholstered furniture not only questions the action of sitting, making it dynamic, participatory and personal, but has also made it possible to create a product that is circular, upgradeable and easily disposable.