Brief

Max Ingersoll and Nina Cragg

The Hoberman Chair is a piece of furniture that transforms between two phases, a lounge chair and a space-efficient table. The chair uses the three-dimensional scissor mechanism invented by Chuck Hoberman, and popularized in the Hoberman Sphere, to expand and contract in three dimensions. The elegant and mesmerizing motion of the petal shaped pieces gives the user the impression of a flower blooming.

The table is formed when the outer segments meet together in the closed phase, and the piece sits parallel to the ground. In this phase, the legs are also oriented with a support that holds the table upright.

The chair is formed when the mechanism is opened, achieved by pulling outwards on the table. In this stage, the segments open up into a ring. The piece is then tipped onto its side, and rests on the edge of two of the four legs. Elastic string is weaved in the area inside the ring, forming a seat for the user.