Outside In: Rippled furniture inspired by Japanese Zen Gardens
The adaptable design by Sabu Studio features nested forms that bring circular motion into the equation, allowing users to shift and reconfigure each component.
Kieron is a freelance writer and Digital Consultant who doesn't consider himself a design lover but a user of design - which to him is more than enough.
LinkedinAustralian design studio Sabu Studio drew inspiration from Japanese Zen Gardens when it designed Outside In, a multifunctional design piece that aims to redefine the way we interact with furniture.
It consists of various hand carved granite and marble components that rest upon a rippled timber surface, which define a more dynamic and expressive item of furniture through its adaptable elements and nested forms.
The project creates a sense of poeticism that is conveyed within the design, a performance can be orchestrated upon the surface through the playful engagement.
This in turn stimulates the thought of motion and inherently provokes tactile interaction from the user, allowing them to shift and reconfigure the components.
Outside In is natural in form, symbolism and emotion
“The primary aim of Outside In was to introduce a sense of the natural world into interior spaces through form and symbolism,” explains the studio.
“The design investigates materials dialogues and the notion of synergy, each object can shift and slide across the surface in a circular motion”
Ripple surfaces are a signature of Sabu Studio, whose work often incites interaction through both tactile and social engagement.
Established by designer-maker Samuel Burns in 2020, his practice is founded upon an honesty to materials, a refined designed sensibility, and a contemporary approach to craftsmanship.
Here, he draws inspiration from Japanese Zen Gardens and the flow of water to introduce elements of nature into urban interior spaces.
Meanwhile, the composition of elements encourages interactivity between users and the objects.
