Unless I look back to late 2009 and the temptingly strange Bone Chaise Lounge, I can’t think of another furnishing that bases its structure—right down to the cellular core—on the intricate and mysterious workings of the human body. And the Bone Chaise is intriguing to be sure, but the bOne Chair by Björn Ischi goes a bit beyond the skeletal Bone Chaise, for it’s modeled after our bones as well as our skin.

The bOne Chair. Designed by Björn Ischi. Manufactured by JDF raum und kunst.

The bOne Chair Regenerates Itself Every Day

Just as our cells are constantly dying and replenishing themselves—such that we’re actually made of entirely new material in the space of a year, if you believe that old saw—the structure and skin of the bOne Chair changes to match the user’s unique physiology.

Constructed of either metal or wood, the structural framework of bOne mimics the molecular structure of actual osteocytes—“the creation of bOne was endowed by a profound understanding of a bone‘s microstructure.” That is to say, the proportions and distribution of the ovoid apertures that constitute the frame accurately mimic those of human bone.

This organic engineering renders bOne exceptionally strong as well as visually appealing. Yet the kicker is in the way the frame integrates with the upholstery. Said finishing touch is comprised of individual foam pads that easily compress when inserted into bOne’s manifold holes.

This unique decorative process gives bOne its signature look while also mimicking the multiple dehydrations and re-hydrations that our skin experiences every day: “deformation and reformation of these cells imitate the structure of skin. The composition of cells is freely selectable. Sitting on the chair leaves a temporary individual mark.” On our bodies as well as our minds, I might add, as the unusual, intriguing, flexible, and engaging bOne continually provokes new incarnations and imaginative configurations.

Via id-mag.

About the Designer: Designer Björn Ischi is one of the three creative personae that make up the Swiss atelier of JDF raum und kunst, an holistic firm that integrates the disciplines of architecture, interior design, and product design. The other two—interior designer/managing director Julietta Di Filippo Roy and draftsperson Noemi Lozano—complete the trinity that enables JDF’s eclectic approach: “Your project is developed in the course of a creative dialogue that is client-focused and draws upon expertise from various disciplines. We don’t see ourselves as interior designers, architects and product designers in the traditional sense, but as holistic creators of spaces and design products.”