The Sori Chair is a plywood chair by Teixeira Design Studio in Viana do Castelo, Portugal. The Sori Chair uses a continuous bent plywood loop that rises through a cutout in the seat to form the backrest. The backrest consists of two curved sections with an open center. Exposed plywood layers remain visible throughout the chair. The design uses a geometric base with straight planes and a cross-shaped support structure beneath the seat.
The name Sori references a Japanese term for the natural curvature of wood. The chair uses precise joinery to pass the backrest structure directly through the seat rather than attaching it above the surface. The project continues the studio's work with plywood and bent wood construction. The design centers on a single plywood form that defines the chair's structure and appearance.
Image Credit: Teixeira Design Studio
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Continuous Bent Wood Forms
- Continuous bent wood forms enable single-piece load-bearing geometries that reduce part count and create opportunities for streamlined production methods.
- Visible Layer Aesthetics
- Exposed plywood layers function as a key visual language that can differentiate products through engineered textures and material storytelling.
- Integrated Structural Joinery
- Precision joinery that routes structural elements through surfaces allows for hybrid designs combining organic curves with geometric supports, shifting how assemblies are conceived.
Sectors Adopting This
- Furniture Manufacturing
- High-volume furniture makers can leverage bent-plywood techniques to introduce premium-looking, low-part-count collections that challenge traditional upholstery- and frame-based models.
- Architectural Millwork
- Architectural millwork firms stand to offer continuous-curve interior elements that blend structural function and finish, expanding opportunities for bespoke commercial installations.
- Sustainable Material Supply
- Suppliers of engineered wood can capitalize on demand for responsibly sourced, high-performance plywood variants tailored to bent-form applications and visible-layer aesthetics.
