nmbello Studio

LM Stool

Furniture / Industrial Design

Client: nmbello Studio

Exhibition:

Venice Design 2018, 16th Venice Architectural Biennale, Palazzo Michiel,Venice, Italy. 26th of May till the 25th of November, 2018

Focus on Africa, Palazzo Litta Cultura, Milan, Italy. March 15th till 2nd of April, 2018

Year: 2017

LM Stool

At nmbello Studio, we are constantly pushing the boundaries around the manufacturing constraints in Nigeria and the LM Stool is an example of that. With limited access to modern day manufacturing and production techniques, there is a whole new challenge to find authentic Nigerian design in the midst of the impossibilities.

After thorough research on the existing manufacturing possibilities in Lagos, Nigeria, we discovered a company working with sheet metal to manufacture generator casing popularly used across Nigeria. Looking closely at the factory’s processes, we designed the LM stool around their production line, which included bending, welding and laser cutting of metal.

The rationale behind the LM stool was to create a multifunctional object whose form tests design limitations. When you think of a conventional chair or a stool the first thing that comes to mind is its four legs, through the LM stool, we decided to re-work the idea of 4 legged furniture by exploiting the sheet metal to create stability. Once we established the stability we began to toy with the idea of subtraction. “How much material does one need to create stability?” Through the reiteration of this idea, we were able to create a unique and bold form that gives the illusion of instability but is extremely stable and capable of withstanding large weight.

The LM Stool is currently showing at the Venice Design 2018 Show at Palazzo Michiel during the 16th Venice Architectural Biennale from the 26th of May 2018 till the 25th of November 2018.