Flexible Holz chair29. Mar2012
Flexible Holz chair is a inventive solution for a chair by combining two apparent opposite materials. Created by two students in industrial design at the Berlin University of Art: Malte Licht and Gunnar Sören Petersen, the Flexible Holz chair is a comfortable chair because of its combination of elastomer (silicon) and wood pieces which makes its seat and backrest to change its shape when someone sits on.
"The concept of "flexible timber project" is a wooden chair design, which looks like a wooden chair, but as comfortable as a padded lounge chair is. These properties are achieved by a combination of wood and an elastomer. The elastomer structure provides a flexible and convenient surface and is still very strong. A variable in the joint strength pattern provides for transitions in the severity and different flexible zones to relieve the spine and coccyx. Since it is not apparent at first glance, is how comfortable the chair is not typical of Wood's seat, and creates an exciting and surprising sitting experience." - Malte Licht
The Flexible chair received the Special Prize in BeckerContest 2011 for "innovative combination of materials". Read below the jury considerations about the chair.
Photos from Malte Licht website.
See also the 3rd prize in BeckerContest 2001: NØRD chair
"Grooves are firstly milled into a planar multiplex panel that are then filled with an elastomer. The same process is repeated as a mirror image on the underside. This produces a decorative flat section that can be flexibly and three-dimensionally moulded under pressure and would therefore be ideal for seats, for instance." 
"The jury wanted to award the special prize to acknowledge the exceptionally innovative idea, not so much in terms of the design of a fi nished product idea but more so the combination of two materials (wood and plastic) opening up new methods of use." 
The draft idea turned by Becker into a wonderful prototype made out of moulded wood to be displayed for the duration of the fair. 
The prototype, with aluminium frame. 
The old model. The tests were made on this one. 
Gunnar Sören Petersen was born in 1987 in Bonn, Germany.He studied at Berlin University of the Arts, Industrial Design section.
Malte Licht was born in 1987 in Bad Hersfeld, Germany.He studied at Berlin University of the Arts, Industrial Design section.
