A
KA1 Seating System
KA1 Seating System
Navn
Knox Alexander Heslop
Uddannelsesgrad
Kandidat
Fagfelt
Design
Institut
Design, Produkt og Materiale
Program
Furniture Design - Products, Materials and Contexts
År
2026
KA1 is a seating system designed for flexibility, comfort, and longevity. KA1 maximizes flexibility by providing a system that can be easily repaired, augmented, and updated throughout its lifespan. The steel frame supports a tensioned Shrinx textile seating surface and accepts a wide range of upholsteries and bases to fit into a variety of contexts, from homes, to offices, to public spaces.
KA1 was developed with a dedication to ergonomics and manufacturing, exploring the potential of tube bending technologies to provide exceptional ergonomics for a wide range of body types and sizes. I produced and tested many ergonomic prototypes and models throughout my process.
It is presented here with three base variations; a wooden base designed for the home, a steel tube based designed for contract market and institutions, and a task chair base designed for home and commercial offices.
Wooden Base
The wooden base is made in Douglas Fir and has removable armrests.
Cantilevered Base
The cantilevered base is made of a single piece of 25mm steel tube, and is designed to stack. With a cart, 30 chairs can be stacked for quickly deployable auditorium seating.
The base has a subtle flex which responds to the movements of the sitter, offering exceptional comfort in an extremely lightweight package.
Task Base
The task chair base is designed for home and commercial offices alike, and has both an armrest and armless version.
Frame
The frame is the central component to the KA1 system. This assembly is made up of 16mm tubes bent with a CNC roll bender and has 10 mounting points to fix the chair to various bases.
The steel frame presents an alternative to the common plastic shell system chair. I found the steel frame can be lighter weight, more durable, more recyclable, more versatile, and take less energy to produce than an injection moulded plastic shell.
Family
KA1 Family
Det Kongelige Akademi understøtter FN’s verdensmål
Siden 2017 har Det Kongelige Akademi arbejdet med FN’s verdensmål. Det afspejler sig i forskning, undervisning og afgangsprojekter. Dette projekt har forholdt sig til følgende FN-mål
