The design of the Woonling Collection is a result of a deep research of peoples living conditions and habits. My initial idea was to create furniture that adopts to peoples various and changing needs. In my opinion furniture is the connecting link between architecture and men, it communicates between the habitation and the inhabitant. So my goal was to create seating furniture that naturally unfolds in its environment. I had the idea of individual elements that build a structure, one linked to the other, able to adapt to various conditions. These objects shouldn`t be stable, instead they should move, adapt and grow together. Offering the possibility to interact and to change the arrangement of the single elements people can use my furniture in every life situation. It fits in every room, big or small, because it has the ability to adapt its constellation to its surrounding.
My studies of living organisms brought me to the oceanic world where corals and alga share space in colonies. The final design of the Woonling Collection is inspired by the acetabularia, a kind of unicelluar green alga. These small organisms live under the sea where they offer space and safety for lots of animals and plants. They live in colonies, spreading and using the space which is offered to them. One individual is supporting the other. Their defining characteristic is a round cap which is divided into a lot of radial facets what makes them looking like little umbrellas. I was fascinated by the idea of round living elements that link together, able to build various structures according to the needs of a whole biocoenosis. This is exactly the philosophy of the Woonling Collection.
The Woonling Collection is a changeable furniture system that is able to adapt to peoples living conditions and personal needs. It consists of one basic element: A circular cushion which can be used as seat cushion or back, giving the possibility to build up various different furniture compositions. T-squares, flat connectors and furniture feet can be plugged in the ports between each of the radial facets. First there is one cushion which can be used as an ottoman. By embedding feet it becomes a taboret. A set of two cushions results in an easy chair. This can be multiplied to a sofa which grows to a longer sofa, for a bigger family. Additional to the basic cushions I developed different kinds of little pillows to make it really comfortable and cozy. These Woonling Pillows are the offspring of the Woonling Collection. The bolsters come with a sutured ribbon which can be wound easily around back cushions or other objects. That ribbon is secured to the pillow button like a belt, this way the pillow stays anchored in its position. Not in use the ribbon can be kept in a sewed in tunnel. Corresponding to these upholstery elements there`s also a coffee table. This one has got a removable tabletop that provides access to a double-walled sac, sewed in the Woonling style. It offers space for all sorts of things without deforming or revealing the identity of its content. All elements come in oceanic color shades of wool felt. It is a really comfortable and warm fabric, easy to clean and, something I really like, coming in various wonderful colors. Deciding for a color is something very personal and there are a lot of color compositions I can imagine for this collection.
