Pipo Chair, when looking at the Pipo Chair by Alejandro Estrada for Piegatto, one might almost have trouble perceiving it as a man-made piece of design, and not a natural element. The way that the wooden surface integrates both armchairs and seat from the same material is so innate, and the curvature so natural, that the chair creates the illusion that it could be the primordial piece of product design ever created. The designer’s idea was to create a piece from a single material “that opens in the outside and stretches in the center”.
The surface is stripped so that light can penetrate through the openings, creating a wonderful play between lights and shadows. The Pipo Chair is created from two sheets of plywood, cut into 29 main curved sections that are cut into either two or three pieces overlapped. Additionally, the wood is treated in order to be water resistant.
Lidia Ratoi is a Romanian architect, educator, and researcher, currently serving as Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong’s Department of Architecture. With a background in both architectural design and theory, her work explores the intersections of technology, media, and politics in the built environment. Ratoi’s research focuses on the aesthetics of power, surveillance, and virtuality, with a strong interest in critical and speculative design. She has practiced internationally and exhibited in venues across Europe and Asia. Passionate about challenging conventional narratives, Ratoi integrates digital tools with philosophical inquiry, encouraging experimental approaches to architecture. Her contributions continue to shape emerging discourses in design and architectural pedagogy.