Malía

Ce qu'il fait

“Malía” is a functional furniture that addresses the lack of movement and its consequences in the office. The tactile stimuli of the innovative seat cushion preventively encourage more movement and support body awareness.

Votre source d'inspiration

Exercise: It's fun, connects people and puts us in a good mood. It heals, gives us strength and keeps us fit. In short: movement is good for you. But why do we often fail to move as a matter of course? Why do we use the lift or the car instead of walking when we know how good exercise is for our body and soul? In the western world, we move far too little in our everyday lives, especially in the office context. As a consequence we are plagued by aches and pains that could be avoided by simple movement. Personal experiences have made this problem a subject for me, which I wanted to solve with the help of product design.

Comment ça marche

The development of the “Malía” chair is based on the insight from an expert interview that changing seat firmness, from soft to firm, promotes back health. An integrated, currentless seat cushion made of TPU with a PU foam core inside changes its firmness over approximately 20 to 30 minutes: initially it feels unstable like an exercise ball and encourages micro-movements. As time passes, it becomes firmer and signals a recommended break through this tactile change. However the user can decide on their own whether they want to stand up immediately or finish the task first. The air escapes via an adjustable throttle check valve and automatically refills when the user stands up. The process is quiet, unobtrusive and aims to subconsciously condition the user to move more in everyday work life. The development combines ergonomic function, classic design and health prevention to create a subtle stimulus for dynamic sitting.

Processus de conception

The design process of “Malía” is based on a physiotherapeutic impulse that recommends alternating between firm and soft sitting phases as well as regular posture changes every 20 minutes. This was the start of the concept of an air cushion that works without technology or electricity. While sitting, the air slowly escapes via an adjustable throttle check valve, causing the seat surface to firm up and tactilely encourage movement. When standing up, the cushion automatically inflates - a subtle cycle. The shape was designed iteratively using sketches, analogue and digital models. The aim was to create a modern aesthetic that blends into office and home office environments. The front view was designed symmetrically to radiate calm and balance, while the side view conveys dynamism as a design counterpoint. The flowing movements of the Brazilian martial art of capoeira were incorporated into the lines and shape of the furniture. The absence of wheels and armrests, combined with ergonomic functions such as height adjustability and swivelling, underlines the demand for a seating solution with a reduced design that encourages movement.

En quoi est-il différent ?

The developed seating furniture differs from existing products as it does not rely on the active initiative of the user. While conventional ergonomic chairs, stools or exercise balls only allow movement when the person is active, the designed chair independently sets subtle movement impulses by changing the tactility of the seat surface on its own. This automatically triggers dynamic sitting without the need for a conscious change of chair or additional effort. As a result, movement is integrated into everyday working life in a low-threshold and permanent way - in contrast to other solutions, which are usually only used temporarily and as a supplement.

Plans pour l'avenir

The holistic idea is aimed at people who want to take a closer look at the topic of movement in the workplace and combine analogue design with digital support. An accompanying app is intended to promote motivation, exercise and social networking in the workplace - for example through exercise instructions, team challenges and recording sitting, standing and walking times. The aim is to establish health-conscious working behaviour. In addition, the already created prototype to date is to be revised, tested and adapted.

Récompenses