Embrace the learning curve but allow room for play

As refreshing as it is intriguing, Jón Hinrik Höskuldsson and Kirstine Nørgaard Sejersen’s mood boards are covered solely by materials. Their ever-expanding multifarious private library of samples, tryouts, and investigations of forms in a constant state of flourish, this enchantment with the process–of piecing together daring material formulas through trial and error, through learning–is what lies at the heart of the furniture and product designers’ Copenhagen-based Bundle Studio.

Whenever moments of clarity, where two forces collide and shape a meaningful object, come about, they serve as a gentle reminder of the foundation of their collaboration: “A bundle is a collection of something. Different things grouped together to form a whole. We bring different experiences and outlooks in our work together,” shares Sejersen. The outcome of excitement-filled experimentation, Bundle Studio’s new Canopy Stool, which will be featured in the second rendition of DesignWanted’s pioneering exhibition format ENHANCE during Milan Design Week 2025, casts its core material in a brand new light.

Weighing 1.5 kg, with about half of its weight being bio-based plastic, the Canopy Stool is a stackable, lightweight mono-material stool crafted by thermo-pressing flax fibers and PLA into rigid shells. Characterized by its simplistic yet superbly functional construction, its design allows for easy disassembly with eight bolts. Höskuldsson explains how the Canopy is “a knockdown construction, allowing it to be flat-packed for efficient transport. It was important to us to embrace the bolts that accompany the knockdown principle and form the legs in such a way that there was a logical placement for the bolts. This means that the stool does not use glue and that parts can be replaced. The flax/PLA biocomposite is fully bio-based and biodegradable under industrial conditions.”

Aesthetically, the dynamic duo describes how, in the realm of biobased materials, “vibrancy and color are often missing. So a lot of the experiments that led to Canopy have focused on the surface and color. We have prototypes that are uncolored and can subtly integrate in many contexts. But with this trio of colors, we wished to play a bit with people’s expectations for what a biomaterial can look like.” Made up of bright orange, stone blue, and silver grey, the well-balanced introductory palette is one rooted in playfulness, and attests to how the designers “lean towards clean yet expressive silhouettes that highlight construction details and natural textures”.

Using bio-based composites clashes with conventional plastic furniture construction. By splitting the Canopy into smaller components, the designers improved material efficiency, and a craft-like quality rarely witnessed in plastic furniture was thus created. The incorporation of flax fibers into a PLA matrix makes the composite both biobased and biodegradable and greatly reduces overall environmental impact.

For Höskuldsson and Sejersen, the aspect of sustainability isn’t just about using bio-based materials for their creations. It’s about formulating a specific frame to follow and embracing it to the fullest–about designing with material constraints in mind to create long-lasting furniture “that people want to engage with.” To design around sustainability is not only rational but very much intuitive: “We do not see working with sustainability as a passion but more as a requirement. The privilege of creating new things comes with the responsibility of considering sustainability. Our work does not start with sustainability as a goal, but rather as a part of the framework, always influencing the choices made,” says Sejersen.

Their diverse backgrounds form the nucleus of the designers’ approach. While Sejersen has garnered experience in material-driven design and experimental methods, with his background in carpentry and furniture design, Höskuldsson is focused on the structural integrity and aesthetic appeal of the studio’s work. Together, they conceptualize and craft pieces that convey a symbiosis between functionality and artistry. Sejersen reflects on how they see their work as “a balance between material exploration, craftsmanship, and industrial scalability.”

Intermingling in ever-changing ways, Höskuldsson and Sejersen discover intensely and confidently through an inspiring cluster of foundational creative values. “Curiosity drives us to keep experimenting, an open mind allows for our two different personalities and creates space for conflicting ideas. Honesty ensures we stay critical of our own work and open to feedback,” says Höskuldsson.

Both have always felt drawn to furniture design because it simultaneously requires practical knowledge of structure and a more intuitive understanding of people, so products can be as useful as they are visually appealing. The material-driven aspect of design has always been front and center as they slowly but surely shaped the identity of Bundle Studio. As Sejersen shares, their process is “centered around the feedback we get when we challenge the material in different ways–understanding its strengths, limitations, and aesthetic potential before defining the final design. Working in this way also creates fertile ground where ideas pop up from unexpected places.”

Looking ahead, Bundle Studio looks forward to exploring “almost all furniture and product categories.” As they continue fearlessly exploring, they wish to expand their scope and apply their methods to other materials and find themselves “excited to see what interesting failures and new ideas can be born from that”.

A symbol of their unduplicatable process and everything they have learned so far, the Canopy Stool conveys the designers’ understanding of materials, structure, and ergonomics, and their ability to address the very human needs of appealing aesthetics and tactile surfaces. Rather than opting for less demanding means of expression, they choose to continuously challenge the materials they play with and expand their range on purpose.

Do not miss Bundle Studio’s showcase at DesignWanted’s upcoming ENHANCE exhibition taking place during Milan Design Week 2025 at BasicVillage, Via dell’Aprica 12, 20158, Milan, Italy.