MoreThanFive x LessThanFive: Michael Young expands on his minimal collection

British industrial designer Michael Young collaborated with USA-based furniture design company Coalesse to craft the LessThanFive collection, showcasing chair designs handcrafted using carbon fibre, that is surprisingly lightweight yet exceptionally strong. The collection enlisted a bespoke range of chairs, stools, and lounges all weighing less than five pounds. “For me, design is all about the evolution of shape and form, and what the materials bring to the environment that we live in,” shares Young, in his latest collaboration with Coalesse. The collaboration brought to fruition a counterpart table design collection for the LessThanFive collection, touted MoreThanFive—a strong and heavy table, crafted in contradiction to the lightness and mobility of chairs, acting as a foundation that anchors the room. The design language followed for the chairs is translated onto the table base with fluid, sculptural lines paired with a translucent, frosted glass tabletop. With purposeful and long-lasting utility wrapped in its pure object beauty, which contributes to an interesting design puzzle, the table and chair pairing satiates the vision of modern craft.

“We’re hanging around in the universe at a time when everyone is thinking about the longevity of the product and its lifespan and whether it is actually incredibly sustainable. So you know, that was something that often people seem to forget about carbon is that it lasts for a lifetime. It just has a lot going for it,” explains Young. The LessThanFive collection was Coalesse’s new endeavour in employing carbon fibre for furniture design, with the LessThanFive guest chair paving the way for carbon fibre in workplace furniture. With an iconic form that is memorable and functional, it creates a design language that brings lightness into workplace furniture. The LessThanFive chairs are reshaped into comfortable lounge chairs, fitting into interactive and in-between spaces or restorative environments. Crafted in signature black weave, solid colour or colour fade profile, the LessThanFive lounge is made supportive by altering the sling of the seat and the slope of the backrest. The incorporation of carbon fibre as a material, also aided in bringing to life the LessThanFive stool. “The LessThanFive stool pretty much evolved because the structure itself is not a form that could be made by any other process. It’s impossible to make that in plastic or wood or any other material,” shares Young. A cantilevered seat balances over an x-shaped footrest, creating a light yet strong stool design that securely holds the body with no excess structure or weight.

The MoreThanFive collection showcases table design, combining cast iron and carbon fibre, an elemental material made extraordinary through modern craft. “So when we started looking at the functions of tables—grounding and heavy—cast iron seemed to be a very beautiful juxtaposition,” shares Young. Its form appears deceptively light, hiding within it a sturdy yet sinuous structure, counterbalancing the weightless properties of carbon fibre. The MoreThanFive tables hold artistic characteristics that can uplift the spaces they inhabit, from cafes to conference rooms, they can be placed in any setting, owing to the choice of two paint finishes for the base and frosted glass or satin laminate tabletops, creating room for versatile workplace designs.

Together the chair and table narrate a dialogue about materiality and weight—both visually and physically. It is a minimalistic yet functional workplace furniture that adds value to the statement that sustainability is a necessity. Furthermore, designers like Michael Young, along with brands like Coalesse, with a unified vision of stirring valuable change in the furniture industry, are setting an example for the future of furniture design.

Text by Ria Jha