Infinity Armchair | Ekphrastics
Infinity Armchair by Natalia Komarova

Infinity Armchair

Golden A' Design Award Winner 2020

Three sculptural armchairs command attention upon tiered circular concrete plinths, their voluptuous forms presenting a striking dialogue between organic curvature and architectural severity in Natalia Komarova's Infinity Armchair composition. The leftmost chair, rendered in deep ultramarine velvet approaching the saturation of lapis lazuli, anchors the arrangement with its continuous tubular armrest that loops beneath the cylindrical seat base in a gesture suggesting mathematical infinity translated into upholstered form. The central specimen occupies the elevated middle platform, its bicolored treatment pairing dusty cerulean arms with warm champagne-toned bouclé for seat and back, creating a temperature contrast that draws the eye through complementary thermal relationships. The rightmost iteration presents itself in warm taupe and cream tones suggesting natural undyed wool or pale stone, its surface texture reading as dense sheep's wool or high-pile mohair. Each chair demonstrates identical structural DNA: a drum-shaped base supporting a cushioned backrest while continuous curved armrests emerge from behind and sweep forward in generous loops that terminate in metallic disc feet visible at the base. The compositional arrangement follows an asymmetrical triangular schema with the elevated center piece creating pyramidal hierarchy while the flanking chairs angle inward at approximately thirty degrees, establishing visual dialogue. The concrete environment provides stark minerite contrast against the plush textile surfaces, its board-formed panels creating a grid of rectangular modules punctuated by regularly spaced tie-holes that suggest brutalist architectural heritage. Diffused overhead illumination creates subtle gradations across the curved upholstery surfaces, with soft shadows pooling beneath each chair and between the stepped platforms. The figure-ground relationship achieves remarkable clarity as the colorful organic forms assert themselves against the achromatic rectilinear backdrop, while the circular platforms mediate between the geometric severity of the walls and the biomorphic furniture silhouettes.

The main emphasis of the Infinity armchair design is made precisely on the backrest. It is the reference of the infinity symbol - an inverted figure of eight. It is as if it changes its shape when turning, setting the dynamics of the lines and recreating the infinity sign in several planes. The backrest is pulled together by several elastic bands that form an external loop, which also returns to the symbolism of the infinite cyclic of life and balance. An additional emphasis is placed on unique legs-skids that securely fix and support the side parts of the armchair just like clamps do.