Soft Spot
Franziska Baumgartner | Akademie der Bildenden Künste München
Upholstered seating furniture is omnipresent in both private and public spaces, promising cosiness and comfort. But a look under the beautiful covers of our armchairs and sofas reveals the uncomfortable truth: synthetic foam, which is petroleum-based, barely recyclable and therefore no longer in keeping with the times in terms of ecological responsibility. ‘Soft Spot’ is an upholstered armchair that explores alternative ways of producing upholstery from natural, recyclable materials.
Award winner 2024 in the category »Nachwuchs«»Soft Spot addresses one of the greatest industrial challenges facing the global upholstery industry, namely that of finding an environmentally friendly alternative to polyurethane-based foams. This student project is an outstanding example of a future path in which upholstered furniture made from natural materials is designed from the outset to be recyclable – with no compromises in terms of design, aesthetics, ergonomics or seating comfort!«
Werner Aisslinger
Three questions for Franziska Baumgartner
How did the idea for “Soft Spot” come about?
The idea for Soft Spot first came about during my apprenticeships at two different upholstery shops in Leipzig in the summer of 2023. After designing an uncomfortable piece of seating furniture and because I am generally fascinated by the topics of upholstery and textiles, I set out to learn more about materials and manufacturing techniques. Finding vast and environmentally harmful piles of foam in the upholsterer’s workshop was a common occurrence, but it was nevertheless disconcerting and ultimately motivated me to think about alternatives.
What was your personal highlight in the development process for “Soft Spot”? Was there a low point?
What excited me most was seeing the cushioning power that can develop when entirely natural materials are combined. That moment when all of the components of a product come together for the first time is always a highlight.
Where do you see your project in five years?
Of course, I want to know how the materials perform over longer periods of use as well as where weak spots might occur. Alongside the long-term studies, I plan to test other regional materials in the upholstery context and to convince manufacturers and users of natural alternatives in upholstery.
