In a singularly inspired moment of discovery, Netherlands designer Douwe Jacobs executed a series of precise folds with a simple sheet of paper, and…. Voila!, Flux, the millennial generation of the folding chair, saw first light. “Even though it was just a simple cut-out from a single sheet of paper,” says Jacobs, “it was surprisingly strong. And even better: It didn’t look like anything I’d ever seen before!”

The Flux Chair. Designed by Douwe Jacobs and Tom Schouten.

The Portable, Lightweight, and Fabulously Funky Flux

In the case of Flux, the particular refinements that led to the piece’s recent achievements (the New Venture Phillips Innovation and the UK’s Grand Design Product of the Year Awards), took the scant space of two years—from Jacobs’ first propitious paper fold to this year’s ICFF.

Flux’s singular magic is owed to its flexible form. Very like a pre-assembled take-out box, Flux is absolutely flat in stowage mode. But with a few precisely executed folds (check out this video for details), Flux becomes a fully realized, ergonomically inclined, and aesthetically alluring chair—the look evokes classic Panton.

As might be expected, Jacobs and Schouten have become enthusiastic advocates of the folding concept. They extol “folding chairs” as an historical marker of prestige—“from the Egyptians to the time of Napoleon, a folding chair has always been seen as an object of status and beauty,”—while redefining its undeserved reputation as that of a drab number trotted out of the closet only to accommodate unexpected guests.

As the duo rightly affirm, a folding chair has many perks, portability and space-saving topping the list. The inspired form of Flux improves on these benefits several-fold and adds some new ones to boot: Flux’s range of eight cool cushion colors as well as an automatic fold-away feature facilitated by a flattening strap. Flux can also be hung on the wall for efficient storage—and an intriguing decorative touch.

About the Manufacturer: Designers Douwe Jacobs and Tom Schouten founded Flux in 2009 with the full intention of breathing some life back into the concept of the “folding chair.” Flux is a hybrid term that not only suggests change, but also the concept of “flexible luxury,” which is really all you need to know about this millennial take on the transformable chair. Flux is constructed of paper, so it’s lightweight, easy to assemble, and even easier to ship. The product is the recipient of many awards, including the Phillips Innovation Award and the UK’s Grand Design Product of the Year Award.