Delve deeper into the many outstanding chairs of the industry and you’ll find that if you’ve ever sat down – which you have – it’s a commercial piece of furniture that once stemmed from the great mind of a designer. From café in Bangkok to Bognor Regis or Schwerin to São Paulo, a chair has reigned where there is a need for sitting. Come to think of it, who knew you and your derriére would have so much contact with design history?
In fact, it is possible that you might’ve come into ‘close contact’ with designer Michael Young’s creation, the LessThanFive chair. Converted from a classical chair inot an inspirational piece with the help of colours and carbon fibre, plus intermingled with customisation credit to the Coalesse app along with Steelcase, Young was able to bring his vision into reality. With a rigorous material and finish akin to that of a bicycle, the LessThanFive Chair is a light yet ageless seater – it’s exactly the sort of furniture anyone would find the difficult to tear away from, let alone stand up! Now with two iF gold award wins, Young with engineers that set foundations for him to innovate.
What did you enjoy most from materializing LessThanFive Chair into its status today?
“I think it must have been the process of getting it into production; it was such an incredible journey! Now I am even more impressed about the way people engage with it – it is a chair people like to touch and pick up. It’s interactive.”
Which music genres do you akin your designs?
“This is a complex question because it is really important to me. Real music, for example a combination of Led Zeppelin, BJM, Motorhead, Nick Cave and Tame Impala.”
What inspires you to create day after day?
“We are all born with predispositions; some good, some bad. I failed all my exams at school due to dyslexia and education was like teaching a blind man colour, so I learned to survive by being creative. I am not a philosopher or an artist, but design is a job I feel at ease with. Of course, one must add a little bit of imagination to it. Design’s not really a desk job, but it’s all I know.”
Immediate or future, how do you foresee carbon fibre furniture?
“Making LessThanFive was a real stepping stone because we managed to hit a price point that found its place in the market. Perhaps carbon fibre will be great for electric cars in the future due to its lightweight advantage.”
For more information, please visit LessThanFive Chair.
