Storks are birds we mostly read about in childhood books, but designer Krishna Rammohan turned it into a minimal chair that is loved by children and adults alike! Accurately named Stork, this birdlike seat fits in any setting be it work or play. The idea for the chair was born alongside Rammohan’s newborn nephew and she wanted to create a space where he could play, study, and grow with the furniture that surrounded him.
While the design originally began as a chair meant to transform elementary school classrooms into more free-flowing and collaborative spaces, Stork chairs can flock together in any space – common rooms in offices, coffee shops, and homes. Stork reimagines current day seating options and addresses the pain points associated with fixed table seating typically found in classrooms. “Students should experience the 6Cs, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication, connectivity, and culture. The future classroom is about collaboration, flexibility, and sharing experiences with one another. The birdlike stool, therefore, provides kids and teachers with a moveable, highly adjustable seat to freely move and study on. I believe kids should have objects around them that seem whimsical, almost coming out of a storybook, to inspire them to dream bigger,” says Rammohan.
Stork is the result of the harmonization of two forms – the pouf is a comfortable plush seat that provides the user with 4 directions of sitting which encourages collaboration and community-building through the ease of interaction. The beak is a smooth, robust form that functions as a small desk that can conform to the user’s ever-changing seating position. “I began with two volumetric cardboard mockups. One is a modular seat that featured a side slit that could afford adaptors like backrests, personal tables, and pockets. The other mockup was an early version of Stork with a small personal table and a cylinder seat,” explains the designer. She made 3 more cardboard full-scale mockups pushing the ergonomics and human factors of the Stork seat before landing on the final design that would use ribbed plywood and woolen upholstery.
The simple chair forms an instant emotional and joyful connection with its user – you are no longer sitting in a grid of boring chairs but a flock of colorful birds!
Designer: Krishna Rammohan
