Blog TSK

pyramidal cave chair by domain architects for bischiyano shapes retreat for secluded comfort

Cave Chair merges furniture and spatial enclosure

The Cave Chair, developed by Domain Architects for their newly launched furniture brand Bischiyano, explores the intersection between furniture and spatial enclosure. Conceived as a hybrid between seating and architecture, the chair draws formal reference from natural cave structures, offering a semi-enclosed environment that emphasizes retreat and acoustic isolation.

The structure of the chair consists of a geometric wood frame clad in elastic upholstery fabric, with the interior surfaces padded in foam. The padding is thickened at the seat base to improve ergonomic comfort. Both interior and exterior surfaces are finished in the same stretch textile, which is available in a range of color options, maintaining a consistent visual and tactile identity. Internally, the Cave Chair forms an ovoid volume that users can physically enter. The spatial envelope provides a muffled acoustic experience, enabled by the pyramidal outer structure and soft-lined inner shell, which together reduce ambient sound levels. These properties contribute to a heightened sense of enclosure and withdrawal from external stimuli.

all images courtesy of Bischiyano

Cave Chair invites pause, reflection, and sensory retreat

Bischiyano, a furniture brand founded by Hannah Wang, one of Domain Architects’ partners, takes its name from a term in the Tequesta language meaning ‘favorite path of the rising moon.’ The brand’s identity emphasizes elemental qualities and unconventional formal approaches in furniture. As the brand’s first product, the Cave Chair demonstrates this ethos through its integration of tactile materiality, spatial enclosure, and sensory modulation. By transforming a seating object into an inhabitable microenvironment, the design positions the chair as a space of temporal seclusion within domestic or public interiors.

Cave Chair by Domain Architects blurs the line between seat and space

designed for Bischiyano, the chair references the protective form of a cave

a hybrid of furniture and architecture, it invites temporary withdrawal

the pyramidal structure defines an inhabitable enclosure

Cave Chair’s structure combines wood, foam, and stretch textile

the design emphasizes comfort, seclusion, and sensory modulation

upholstered in stretch fabric, the chair maintains material continuity

foam padding lines the interior, thickened for ergonomic support

interior surfaces reduce sound, creating a muffled acoustic zone

project info:

name: Cave Chair

designer: Domain Architects | @domain_architects

client: Bischiyano | @bischiyano

dimensions pyramid: L165 W165 H190

dimensions seat: H30

material: 60% new wool, 20% nylon, 20% polyester, 2mm foam

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

The post pyramidal cave chair by domain architects for bischiyano shapes retreat for secluded comfort appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

tom ducarouge’s heat-reactive table for on running changes color when it gets warm

heat-reactive table for on running switches shade in heat

Tom Ducarouge creates a heat-reactive table for On Running that shows a deeper brown color when it gets warm. The designer shapes the two-part desk as the sportswear brand’s logo, resulting in a rounded table for the first and a U-shaped one for the second. There are circular stools around the heat-reactive table for On Running to accommodate the users, colored in the same shade as the worktop. 

For the ensemble, the designer forges it from raw brown steel, retaining the unpolished and unpainted look of the material. Because of this, the design gives off an industrial look, which complements the soft-looking surroundings that the table inhabits. The table was presented at selected invites during the Paris Haute Couture Week 2025 between July 7th and 10th.

all images courtesy of Tom Ducarouge and Starkman & Associates

Underlighting to highlight the shape of the surface

To protect the heat-reactive table for On Running, designer Tom Ducarouge applies a clear varnish, thin and see-through enough to shield the surface from corrosion and wear while keeping the materiality at the same time. The coating allows the changes in the color, too, so when the user puts something hot on the surface, say a cup of coffee or a warm plate, the brown steel becomes even lusher, like a dark copper. As the designer posted on his Instagram, two videos showcase how easy it is for the table to shift its shade, inviting the users to play around with it and even ‘paint’ on it for a brief time. 

Once it cools down, which is also quite quick, the color of the heat-reactive table for On Running returns to its normal shade. Even the stools are heat-sensitive since they’re made with the same material as the table. Then, under the surface, the design adds a built-in lighting system, which gives off a soft and warm glow. These are battery-powered, so there are no wires or need for plugs, and once they light up, they highlight the distinctive shape of the project. For the heat-reactive table for On Running, Tom Ducarouge has collaborated with the production company Starkmann, and so far, the project is a tailored one for the sportswear brand.

Tom Ducarouge creates a heat-reactive table for On Running

it shows a deeper brown color when it gets warm

there are circular stools around the heat-reactive table for On Running

each stool bears the brand’s name and logo

detailed view of the stools and table

the designer shapes the project to the brand’s logo

the multipurpose table can also be used for dinners and lunches

the second piece of the project is the U-shaped table

project info:

name: Heat-reactive table

brand: On Running | @on

designer: Tom Ducarouge | @tomducarouge

production: Starkmann | @starkman.associates

The post tom ducarouge’s heat-reactive table for on running changes color when it gets warm appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

studio ShoulderTap contrasts brick and stone to shape family residence in india

studio shouldertap designs ‘house of surprises’ in India

Studio ShoulderTap unveils The Turahalli House, a compact home for a family of three on a typical 9-by-12-meter plot, a standard size in many government-planned neighborhoods in India. Located near the Turahalli forest in the southern outskirts of Bangalore, the house should feel open and generous, despite its small footprint. The architects take this constraint as their starting point, conceiving the home as a series of spatial moments, a reason why the team informally refers to it as the House of Surprises.

From a distance, the red brick facade of the building stands out, contrasting sharply with the surrounding trees and sky. But the closer one gets, the more the materials and geometry begin to shift. At the base, the ground floor is finished in a dark stone with curved walls that diverge from the rectilinear upper levels. A sliding metal gate reveals a small front garden, and within it, a green, curved staircase rises above a pond as a spatial device that sets the tone for how the rest of the house will be experienced.

images courtesy of Studio ShoulderTap

green double-height balcony punctuates The Turahalli House

The Bangalore-based team of Studio ShoulderTap intentionally carves the entry route to the Turahalli House to be indirect. Instead of walking straight into the main living areas, visitors are led past and through smaller volumes, slowly introduced to the building’s scale and logic. Eventually, the space opens into a high-ceilinged living and dining area, flanked by large windows on either side. On the southern side, a gap between a freestanding wall and the main structure becomes a light register, capturing slices of sunlight as they shift through the day. The kitchen, tucked away from direct view, remains open to the dining space and is finished in locally sourced green marble and warm wood.

As one moves up through the house, the tone begins to shift. The staircase narrows, and the volumes become more intimate, reflecting the more private nature of the upper levels. The bedrooms, though compact, are detailed with yellow triangular insets on the floors, made from a mix of Kota and Tandur stone, to contrast with the more muted palette elsewhere. A green-painted double-height balcony punctuates this level, acting as both a social space and a connector to the different levels of the house.

The topmost floor is another variation on the living space, similar in footprint but more subdued in height and atmosphere. With a balcony that looks eastward, it offers a quiet spot for hosting or reflection, removed from the activity below. Turahalli House doesn’t attempt to solve every problem with a singular architectural move, but, instead, it layers spaces, shifts volumes, and lets materials and light do some of the work. 

Studio ShoulderTap unveils The Turahalli House

this compact home accommodates a family of three

the house should feel open and generous, despite its size

a series of spatial moments

a green, curved staircase rises above a pond

this spatial device sets the tone for how the rest of the house will be experienced

the team informally refers to the project as the House of Surprises

acting as both a social space and a connector to the different levels of the house

Turahalli House layers spaces, shifts volumes, and lets materials and light do the work

project info:

name: Turahalli House

architect: Studio ShoulderTap | @shoulder.tap

location: Bangalore, India

The post studio ShoulderTap contrasts brick and stone to shape family residence in india appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

faire le vide: carved-out cedar cube installation dots remote island in quebec

‘Faire le Vide’ lands on a Remote Island in quebec

Faire le Vide is a public installation on a Quebec island only accessible by canoe or kayak, designed by Luca Fortin and Atelier mock/up. Conceived as part of a broader initiative to animate the remote islands of Poisson Blanc Regional Park through site-specific interventions, the project establishes a quiet architectural presence in the vast natural landscape.

The structure takes the form of a wooden cube. Its exterior is rational and restrained, while the interior is characterized by sinuous contours and expressive milling texture. Winner of a design competition launched by Poisson Blanc, the project is both an artwork and a place of pause.

Faire le Vide is a cedar installation in Quebec’s Poisson Blanc Regional Park | image © Maryse Béland

the prefabricated structure of laminated cedar

The carved-out cube of Faire le Vide was prefabricated by Luca Fortin and Atelier mock/up off-site, then transported in individual components by boat and assembled manually on the Quebec island. This approach eliminates the need for heavy machinery and preserved the integrity of the rocky terrain. The design team embraced the logistical limitations of the site, allowing them to shape an installation that feels inextricably linked to its context.

The structure is crafted from laminated cedar. Its exterior is clad in vertical slats, echoing the verticality of the surrounding pines. Inside, the CNC-milled surfaces retain the traces of the fabrication process, forming a chamber defined by texture and light. These toolmarks, both functional and aesthetic, ripple across the curved walls to inspire a dialogue between digital fabrication and naturally eroded cliffside below.

the project was designed by Luca Fortin and Atelier mock/up | image © Maryse Béland

contrasting spatial qualities

From the water, Luca Fortin and Atelier mock/up’s Faire le Vide cube appears minimal and self-contained. Its placement, elevated on a rocky rise, allows it to function as a subtle landmark without overwhelming the landscape. The shift from the orthogonal exterior to the sculpted interior is immediate and disarming. As visitors step inside the cedar-scented installation, they enter a compact and disorienting space enveloped by curves and shadows.

Light filters through narrow slits in the cladding, casting thin lines across the interior surfaces. These apertures connect the occupant to the surrounding forest and reservoir without compromising the enclosure’s introspective quality. The interplay of solid and void, smooth and rough, lends Faire le Vide a spatial rhythm attuned to the cycles of the day and the conditions of the weather.

the cube’s expressive interior is carved from CNC-milled laminated cedar | image © Maryse Béland

the installation was prefabricated off-site and assembled manually | image © Maryse Béland

the slatted exterior reflects the verticality of the surrounding forest | image © Irvin Burel

the shift from the shell to the curved chamber lends heightened spatial awareness | image © Maryse Béland

project info:

name: Faire le vide
architect: Luca Fortin + Atelier mock/up
location: Poisson Blanc Regional Park, Notre-Dame-du-Laus, Quebec, Canada

photography: © Maryse Béland, Irvin Burel, Behind Creation, Luca Fortin, Maika Nadon

The post faire le vide: carved-out cedar cube installation dots remote island in quebec appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.