"Flatscreen" Chairs by Schimmel and Schweikle, Netherlands, 2019

These "Flatscreen" chairs, created as part of Schimmel & Schweikle’s research project Flat Furniture, transform the familiar plastic monobloc garden chair into a striking exploration of form, perception, and materiality. By flattening the side, front, and top views of this ubiquitous object, Schimmel & Schweikle reconstruct its essence in two dimensions, then reanimate it through printed digital renderings. The result is a sculptural seat that feels simultaneously physical and virtual, a piece of furniture that captures the tension between screen-based imagery and tangible design. Each chair becomes both a functional object and a thought experiment, inviting the viewer to reconsider how digital representations shape our understanding of space and everyday things.

Janne Schimmel (Netherlands) and Moreno Schweikle (Germany) studied together at the Design Academy Eindhoven, where they began their collaboration as Schimmel & Schweikle. Rooted in both digital culture and material experimentation, their practice explores the shifting boundaries between virtual and physical worlds. Through furniture, installations, and sculptural works, they examine how everyday objects can become carriers of technological reflection, opening up new dialogues about form, function, and the evolving role of design in contemporary life.