PLANKS was designed for the upcoming Dakar Design Biennale.
The oldest biennale of its kind on the African continent invited designers of African descent and designers working in Africa to promote the role of contemporary design and traditional crafts on the African continent.
My contribution titled PLANKS is inspired by a simple seating structure made from two ordinary wooden planks.
Without much effort, one piece is inserted into the other to form a cantilevered support on which to sit.
The simplicity of this object was the strong impulse to design a contemporary seating structure that is easy to transport, assemble and disassemble. Simplicity both in the production process and in use.
Planks is as radically simple as it is radically modern.
An armchair consisting of 4 simple, interlocking wooden planks.
Assembled to form a 3-dimensional structure.
Secured with a simple wooden wedge.
It is transported flat packed and can be self-assembled in 6 easy steps.
No tools.
No glues.
No mechanical connections
Armchairs are bulky.
They are difficult to ship.
PLANKS offers a smart packaging solution
that is related to efficiency and ultimately sustainability.
PLAN
Bio Charles was born in Lagos Nigeria. He achieved his diploma in architecture, and a masters degree in urban design at the Oxford Brookes University, followed by work experience in various architectural practises in London, Paris and Zürich.
He was appointed professor of architectural design theory at the Berne University of Applied Sciences in 2008, where he continues to teach part time. Working in the fields of architecture, interior design, product, furniture and lighting design his studio considers architecture in its variety of scales.
Other prizes 2024 WinnerDesigns for Modern Furniture + Lighting® Award for 2024, PLANKS, Chair 2024 Winner, Designs for Modern Furniture + Lighting® Award for 2024., SKETCH Armchair 2024 Winner, SIT 2024 Awards, Totem 2020 Winner, SIT 2020 Awards, Sketch Armchair. 2018 Shortlisted, Pape Bird Observation Tower, Latvia 2017 Finalist, pro Helvetia Swiss Pavilion, La Biennale di Venezia, 2018 2016 Silver Medal, Holzpixel, Designers Saturday, Langenthal 2016, Switzerland, with BFH 2016 Finalist, Singapore (FDA) Furniture Design Award, 2017 2016 Nominated, Singapore (FDA) Furniture Design Award, 2016 2015 Nominated, Gwangju/ Designboom International Design Biennale, Seoul 2015 2015 Top 100, Design Intelligence Award, Hangzhou, China 2013 Nominated, Design preis Schweiz, switzerland, Flexplypavilion with BFH 2012 1. prize, International Charente Pavilion Competition, France Flexplypavilion BFH 2012 Gold Award, Materialica Deisgn + Technology Award 2012, Munich, Germany 2012 Finalist, Homeless Design Competition 2012, Milano, Italy 2011 Acknowledgement Prize, Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction, Africa / Middle east, Casablanca, Morocco 2009 Shortlisted, Designboom & Macef Beyond Silver Design competition, Milan, Italy 2009 Selected Design, “oasis” Design Forum, Interzum Köln, Becker, Brackel, Germany 2008 Finalist, Asahikawa International Furniture Design Competition. Japan 2007 Shortlisted, Design Preis Schweiz, Langenthal, Switzerland 2006 Runner up Tokyo Lights International Design Competition, Tokyo, Japan 2002 Third Prize. Zingg-Lamprecht International Design Competition, Zürich, Switzerland 2002 Special Mention, Design Report Award 2002, Milan International Furniture Fair, Milan, Italy 2001 First Prize, Oxo / Peugot design Awards 2001, London, England 2001 First prize, Traffic Conzept for Wetzikon, Switzerland 1999 First Prize, Deutsche Bank Munich, Germany
