Silhouette is a transformable chair that shifts between an armchair, lounge chair, and chaise longue through the reconfiguration of its primary components: base, seat, backrest, legrest, and headrest.
Developed through multiple full-scale prototypes, the geometry, proportions, and biomechanics were refined so that each configuration provides appropriate seat depth, height, and support, rather than functioning as a compromise between positions.
Beneath its clean, minimal form lies a highly engineered system of over 800 components. At the same time, the design is both materially restrained and production-efficient: the chair can be cut from just two sheets of plywood and a 12" × 12" sheet of steel. All connections are metal-to-metal, with no glue or permanent bonds, allowing the chair to be fully disassembled, repaired, and reassembled over time without degrading the wood — extending its lifespan while minimizing material waste.
Formally, the chair draws from the clarity and discipline of modernist design while asserting a distinctly forward-looking presence. Its continuous profile and legible transformation produce an object that feels minimal, architectural, and contemporary.
Bio Jonah Rappaport is a New York–based designer working at the intersection of architecture, interior design, and furniture.
He received his B.Sc. in Architecture from McGill University in 2021 and most recently completed his Master of Architecture at Yale University in 2024, where he designed and built the chair presented in this submission, Silhouette.
Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Jonah has also lived and studied in London, United Kingdom. He previously worked with the Brooklyn-based design developer Tankhouse and is currently a designer at ASH NYC.
