The Casulo Armchair
In an increasingly busy and tech-saturated world, where
screens scream for our attention at every moment, there
emerges a need to seek alternatives that promote a more
balanced and less stressful life. It is in this context that the innovative concept of our interface is born, a product aimed at offering a communication experience without the use of screens, utilizing a color changing fabric as its foundation.
screens scream for our attention at every moment, there
emerges a need to seek alternatives that promote a more
balanced and less stressful life. It is in this context that the innovative concept of our interface is born, a product aimed at offering a communication experience without the use of screens, utilizing a color changing fabric as its foundation.
The concept revolves around creating a modern armchair with an innovative user interface that acts as a boundary-setting tool against the constant influx of digital messages. The piece serves as a physical manifestation of personal space and privacy within the home, allowing individuals to disconnect from digital distractions and reclaim moments of solitude and relaxation.
The armchair features a distinctive single-seater design, emerging from a circular shape to form an inviting, nest-like seating area that embodies comfort. Its arm and backrests wrap around the seat, soft cushions providing generous support, while the gently tilted seating area encourages users to recline and discover their most comfortable position. This thoughtful design invites users to fully immerse themselves in a state of relaxation, shielded from the distractions of the outside world. Continuing seamlessly from the top of the continuous arm and backrests is an asymmetrical fabric that mirrors the seat’s shape, resembling a collar. The asymmetrical portion of this continuous collar forms a “flap” that can be opened or closed. When closed, it enhances the piece’s circular and enveloping shape. This feature serves both a functional and symbolic purpose in the design. Its resemblance to a jacket collar evokes feelings of familiarity and protection, while the unique flap allows users to pull it over their head to protect themselves from the incoming messages, forming a cocoon-like structure for solitude. This gesture mirrors the comforting act of pulling a blanket over oneself, creating a cozy sanctuary where users can retreat from the outside world and find solace.
The Casulo Armchair is designed as a smart home object, constantly connected to the user’s smartphone through WiFi. Instead of adding to the notifications, it manages them. When he sits down, he can lean back, assured that he will be calmly notified if an important message arrives. Here’s how it works: as the user sits down, he can pull up the flap in an intuitive and fluid motion, creating a cocoon-like space. This action activates a specific “do not
disturb” mode on his smartphone, allowing only messages from pre-selected contacts to come through. Instead of loud noises and flashes, the color-changing eTextile inside the flap gently transitions from its default soft light blue to a warm shade of yellow, subtly notifying the user of a message from the person he wanted to be notified by.
disturb” mode on his smartphone, allowing only messages from pre-selected contacts to come through. Instead of loud noises and flashes, the color-changing eTextile inside the flap gently transitions from its default soft light blue to a warm shade of yellow, subtly notifying the user of a message from the person he wanted to be notified by.
Now, he can choose to react or simply continue enjoying his moment of solitude. Through this intuitive and analog mechanism of interacting with the digital world, we aim to provide the user with a sanctuary to relax and unwind, shielded from the chaos of the outside world. It’s a moment just for him, proactively setting boundaries within his own home. The soft glow of the color-changing fabric will provide just enough notification without interrupting the solitude of the moment.
In our process to find innovative shapes for our design, we collaborated with the text-to image generator AI, Midjourney. This use of AI allowed us the freedom to browse and brainstorm through various optical approaches for our Casulo Armchair. Through this process, we were able to experiment with different directions for our object and ultimately find inspiration for the right path. For us, actively incorporating AI into our design research serves as yet another example of how modern technology can aid us. It demonstrates that there are opportunities for us to leverage technology to our advantage, rather than simply reacting to it and potentially compromising our mental health.
The protective aspect of the seat is intentionally positioned close to the user. Based on the research from Edward T. Hall on meaningful zones and how spaces around humans have social implications. When the user receives a message, it is displayed, just a few centimeters away from the user. We aim to emphasize that the user should only receive messages from individuals he would allow into his intimate circle during his moments of peace and solitude.
The armchair colors are deliberately chosen based on the concept of color therapy and how humans respond emotionally to different colors. Lighter shades of blue are known for their calming properties, helping to reduce stress and promote a sense of well-being. The natural white adds a touch of brightness and freshness to the overall aesthetic, enhancing the armchair’s inviting and comforting atmosphere bringing a sense of ease. Inside the arched piece of the armchair, a soft hue of yellow is used to signify important notifications. This subtle color change is made possible by the ChroMorph fabric, gently alerting users to incoming messages without disrupting their sense of peace and tranquility. Yellow is selected for its joyful and uplifting qualities, ensuring that users receive notifications in a positive and non-intrusive manner, associating these messages with a positive feeling.
The armchair colors are deliberately chosen based on the concept of color therapy and how humans respond emotionally to different colors. Lighter shades of blue are known for their calming properties, helping to reduce stress and promote a sense of well-being. The natural white adds a touch of brightness and freshness to the overall aesthetic, enhancing the armchair’s inviting and comforting atmosphere bringing a sense of ease. Inside the arched piece of the armchair, a soft hue of yellow is used to signify important notifications. This subtle color change is made possible by the ChroMorph fabric, gently alerting users to incoming messages without disrupting their sense of peace and tranquility. Yellow is selected for its joyful and uplifting qualities, ensuring that users receive notifications in a positive and non-intrusive manner, associating these messages with a positive feeling.
The armchair’s fabric is selected for its soft yet durable qualities, offering users a tactile and comforting experience. Its woven texture and gentle touch provide a pleasing contrast to the cold, hard smoothness of screens, serving as a reminder of the soothing embrace of natural materials. The soft cushioning encourages users to sink into the armchair and enjoy moments of relaxation and tranquility, feeling safe and secure.