and the journey of shaping the future of digital beauty

This article explores the evolution of chair design, drawing parallels between historical principles and contemporary digital design while urging designers to rediscover and prioritise the often neglected aspect of beauty in their work with 10 practical steps.

Why are there so many chairs out there? We see it almost anywhere in the human world, from our homes to public areas. Yet there are so many ways to enjoy a chair. That’s because history has given us an abundance of various designs.

The chair

And it’s not so much about determining the best functionality of sitting, which would be the main purpose of having a chair. Rather, according to art historian Agata Toromanoff, some chairs are made to explore new manufacturing methods or apply certain techniques. Other chairs “serve as a rite of passage,” like credentials for an audience. These chair designers are none other than architects and industrial designers. Though they may not necessarily have furniture design expertise, many of them do it anyway as a form of personal expression.

Regardless, just like buildings, a chair must have certain qualities to qualify. They need to be functional to fulfil their objective. Secondly, a chair needs to be stable to withstand weight. This includes the choice of material to increase its lifespan and repeated use. Lastly, a chair should be appealing enough to invite a person to sit on it. Beauty, comfort, and delight are some emotions when it comes to chairs.

When I mention these three qualities of a chair, those with an interest in ancient architecture will remember the Vitruvian Triad: stability, utility, and beauty. These attributes, derived by Roman architect Vitruvius, were just the beginning of what makes a well-designed object through order and proportion. It led to other theories, such as the Vitruvian Man: the body inscribed in the circle and the square (the fundamental geometric patterns of the…