From sagging shelves made of foam to a chair modelled on Wassily Kandinsky’s abstract paintings, we’ve rounded up 11 quirky furniture designs that prioritise form over function.
While furniture is typically made to fulfil particular tasks and actions, like holding objects or sitting, designers frequently use their work to stretch the definition of the term.
Chairs and tables often also serve as sculptures or artworks, blurring the line between function and aesthetic.
This principle has gained in popularity since Italian creative Ettore Sottsass founded the Memphis Group in 1980, which aimed to turn against conventional design.
“When I was young, all we ever heard about was functionalism, functionalism, functionalism,” Sottsass once said. “It’s not enough. Design should also be sensual and exciting.”
