Column Chair: a modular seating system
by Yuhan(Ivan)Gu The Column Chair by New York– based industrial designer Yuhan (Ivan) Gu is a modular seating system structured around movable cylindrical cushions. The style combines a curved wood frame with a woven rope grid, forming a seating item that enables different setups and postures through the repositioning of its soft elements.
Rather than defining a repaired ergonomic position, the chair approaches seating as a versatile system that reacts to the body’s shifting motions. Curved wooden side structures develop the primary frame and offer structural stability, while a discreetly arched base presents a small rocking motion. This curved base enables the chair to move carefully with the user, producing a dynamic relationship in between the body and the furniture.
At the center of the style is a series of round cushions that can be rearranged across the frame. These movable parts allow the user to adjust assistance depending upon the desired posture, varying from upright sitting to more unwinded reclining positions. Through this system, the chair deals with convenience as a variable condition shaped by arrangement rather than a fixed ergonomic solution.
all images thanks to Ivan Studio– Yuhan(Ivan )Gu drawing motivation from standard hammock structures A key development challenge included maintaining structural strength while preserving a visually light frame. Instead of stiff crossbars, the design includes a woven rope grid suspended between the wood side structures. Influenced by the tension-based construction of hammocks, the rope network disperses weight across the frame while keeping an open and lightweight look.
This stress system operates both structurally and visually, specifying the main seating surface while supporting the movable cushions. Through a woven pattern, designer Yuhan (Ivan) Gu presents texture and versatility while reinforcing the modular nature of the seating system.
The Column Chair was very first presented in 2023 as part of Unmaking, Making, Remaking, an exhibition hosted by Somewhere in New York. Following its debut, the project got a Gold award from the MUSE Design Awards. Currently established as a one-off studio model, the design continues to be checked out as a system that might be adjusted for future production while maintaining its modular and interactive structure.
movable cylindrical cushions permit the seating setup to be rearranged < img src="image/gif; base64, R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP/// yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7"alt="a series of movable cylindrical cushions reposition to form modular column chair-3"width=" 818"height= "818"data-src= "https://static.designboom.com/wp-content/dbsub/465210/2026-03-05/the-column-chair-introduces-a-modular-seating-system-with-movable-cylindrical-cushions-1-69a9d2f8d8f4a.jpg"/ > the design enables various sitting and reclining positions
the chair combines a curved wood frame with a woven rope grid