SKNYPL configures modular furniture units for shifting residential morphologies

With living spaces becoming significantly more compact across residential units for the working-class populace in most urban regions, it has become increasingly challenging to accommodate versatile and aesthetically sound furniture within these expanses. The pervasive urban phenomenon is effectively understood by professionals who have expertise in both architecture and furniture design, necessitating the design and dissemination of modular design units. Hence, the Russia-based practice SKNYPL founded by Skrylnik Aleksandr, Nyrov Azamat and Plotkin Aleksandr, which works across the disciplines of architecture, spatial design and furniture, decided to conceive a vibrant modular furniture collection called the CABINET+, intended to brighten and enliven indoor spaces with their presence, while also being easy to assemble.

First presented by the Russian architects during the COLLECTIBLE design fair held in New York this year, the CABINET+ collection is expressed as an answer to changing indoor morphologies and a resident's desire to redecorate and restyle their space with ease, within limited budgets. When asked about the inceptive inspiration behind the collection's design and its connector-like features, the studio shares, "We could say that we were thinking about how to create a LEGO for adults, an endless, playful construction set for various spaces. After all, we're all children at heart."

SKNYPL undertook the collection's furniture design keeping in mind smaller indoor spaces and the recurrent need to move to different locations with disparate layouts. The studio queries, "If the space spontaneously changes, can the piece adapt? Will it continue to look aesthetically pleasing in the new space?" It is these questions that the studio then tries to answer with their CABINET+ collection, which can be assembled to function as stools, coffee tables, cabinets as well as shelving units.

While the pieces, when disassembled, perform their distinctive roles, the units can also be stacked together to build a large shelving unit. Since all the individual units are equipped with connectors on all sides, they can be combined both vertically and horizontally to build pieces of the desired shape and size. In addition to bearing the potential of transforming into desired units with a change in space, the CABINET+ collection is also designed to change per daily routines. The modular units are differently sized, ranging from 255 mm to 960 mm, making the idea of combining the individual units fun and dynamic.

The collection's prototype was hand-crafted by the product designers in a woodworking workshop. Over time, the designers have made various adjustments to the shape and details of the units, to enhance the pieces aesthetically while also optimising the production process. Always open to feedback, SKNYPL hopes to iterate more versions of the product design in response to feedback received from users.

Currently, the pieces in the collection come in a variety of vibrant colours such as green, blue, yellow and orange, and the furniture designers hope to add more soon. The pieces are made using birch wood, which is enhanced using eco-friendly linseed oil, making them durable and resistant to impact, wear and tear. With its long-standing intention to approach work with paradigms of sustainability, SKNYPL is currently working on future ones with wood waste from sawmills.