Soft Edge series design by Iskos-Berlin for HAY

Created by exploring innovative developments in moulded plywood techniques

Iskos-Berlin’s Soft Edge series was originally created by exploring innovative developments in moulded plywood techniques. The Copenhagen-based design duo collaborated with HAY to push the boundaries of industrial moulding, combining strong curves with extreme lightness to create a minimalistic design with dynamic comfort. All the edges of the ultra-thin, soft-formed seats are bent away from the body, designed to optimise human-centric comfort for constant shifting and movement.

The series comprises chairs, lounge chairs, and stools and bar stools, offering frames in wood or steel, while the seat is made in 2D plywood or plastic (PP) – both materials available in a variety of finishes and colours with selected upholstery options. The strength, flexibility and comfort of the series make it well suited to a wide range of public and private environments – from corporate spaces and cafés to home environments.

Iskos-Berlin is the design partnership of Aleksej Iskos and Boris Berlin, which was founded in 2010 and is based in Copenhagen. Together, the founding partners work across the fields of industrial, furniture, and graphic design. The pair previously worked together at Komplot Design: Berlin was a founding member in 1987, with Iskos joining the practice in 1999. Berlin (b. 1958) is from St. Petersburg, Russia, and is a graduate of the city’s Institute of Applied Arts, while Iskos (b. 1965) is from Kharkov, Ukraine, and has studied architecture, engineering, and industrial design in both Ukraine and Denmark. Their approach is to “see design as an art of storytelling” and they pay particular attention to the materiality of objects, often letting this define the language of their designs. Their exploratory nature often results in products that utilise new technologies and materials. For HAY, Iskos- Berlin have created the Soft Edge series of chairs and stools.

SUSTAINABLE HIGHLIGHTS
The Soft Edge products that are built from moulded plywood, all have edges of the seat and back that are softly bent, making it possible to achieve strong and stable items of just 6 mm of material – instead of what is normally 10 mm – drastically reducing consumption and waste. The rational, optimized construction of Soft Edge’s tubular frame and solid wood frame versions in combination with the reduced quantity of veneer required to make any Soft Edge product result in an environmentally friendly product.