SPACE10's paradigm-shifting 'Couch in an Envelope' counters the couch archetype

On encountering the question of what a couch is, could be, and does, Denmark-based research and design lab SPACE10 turned to artificial intelligence (AI). In collaboration with Panter&Tourron, they conceived 'Couch in an Envelope,' an innovative design that is at once, people and planet friendly, weighing only 10 kilograms—a dramatic transition from traditional bulky couches.

The couch archetype has mostly remained heavy, inflexible, and nearly impossible to sustainably dispose of, or recycle. In most of our lived experiences, couches take up space and have high embodied carbon due to their energy-intensive transport and unsustainable material use. As Georgina McDonald, Creative Producer at SPACE10 (Ikea’s independent design research lab) rightly shares, "The couch, as we know it today, is a complicated and high-maintenance piece of furniture, to find and to move. However beloved it is, the couch is often a strain on people owing to its weight; the planet due to its design intricacies; and a burden on the friends who generously help us to move." Their aim was to counter such problematic archetypes. Therefore, 'Couch in an Envelope' was designed to be lightweight, easy to transport and assemble, adaptable, durable, as well as completely recyclable, and hence, easy on the planet. This innovative example of furniture design uses aluminium for its framework, cellulose-based fabrics and yarns, and mycelium foam to achieve its slender, AI-generated form.

The AI-assisted exploration initially produced typical shapes of sofa designs, when 'couch' was used as a prompt on AI platforms. "Outdated, unsustainable design archetypes embedded in large language models are problematic in algorithms and negatively impact the future of design. Presently, AI can only take us so far in design innovation before craft, and the human hand needs to intervene," explains Alexis Tourron, designer and co-founder of Panter&Tourron, on challenges faced. This was countered by using alternative and descriptive prompts such as ‘platform,’ ‘lightweight,’ ‘sustainable,’ ‘recyclable,’ and ‘easy to move,’ which eventually enabled Panter&Tourron to generate a series of lightweight and adaptable contemporary designs. The outcome is not only sustainable, but compact, foldable, flat-pack, stackable, modular, tool-less, low-maintenance, highly customisable, and most importantly, incredibly comfortable. “Comfort is primarily the main requirement when designing a couch, which can compromise durability and sustainability. We wanted to simplify the material composition and prioritise weight, disassembly and circularity. We have envisaged something that is 100 per cent recyclable, without sacrificing softness. 'Couch in an Envelope' is a new generation of comfort,” says Stefano Panterotto, designer and co-founder of Panter&Tourron.

The prototype for this sustainable design will be featured in SPACE10's new design exhibition, Design in the Age of AI, which explores the possibility of AI in designing better homes for the people and the planet, and in the process, explore future iterations of furniture designs, product designs, and architectural designs. 'Couch in an Envelope' thereby, gives a glimpse of the potential of AI to change the perspective, packaging, design and functionality of everyday objects and through them, our ensuing lifestyles and their effect on the planet.

(Text by Aatmi Chitalia, intern at STIR)