Finnish designers Sanna and Mika Myllylä from Living Spaces, have created a modular furniture concept that can transform in a matter of seconds. Dubbed BiT, the series of upholstered shapes easily join together using magnets, giving the user the freedom to modify the furniture for various uses.
The idea was inspired to provide a space-saving solution for small homes, while also proving a fun and innovative living room or bedroom for families with small children. After years of developing the concept, the duo have now completed a working prototype, with hopes of taking their creation to the market through a crowdfunding campaign.
Specifically designed to transform between several layouts and uses, the BiT collection of modular shapes can be used to create a three-seater sofa; modular L-shaped sofa; double sofa; single armchair; gaming station; sofa desk; coffee table; bedding for one or two people; or an entire transformable kids play center.
Taking inspiration from children's building blocks, the BiT series can be used to build pretty much any shape you or your kids can imagine. A bunch of accessories also means gamers can create their ideal gaming station, including: Games FPS Armchair; Games F1 and IndyCar Armchair; Games Car Simulator Armchair; and Games Fighter Jet Armchair. Furthermore, the small parts mean the sofa is lightweight and easy to transport or move around.
"Owning a couch has many challenges," says Mika Myllylä, CEO and Innovator at Living Spaces. "I and my wife Sanna were both moving quite a lot. Carrying heavy upholstered furniture was such a drag that I often abandoned the sofa at a recycling centre before relocation … After our daughter hurt her head on a sofa arm while bouncing on the couch we decided we had had enough of traditional sofas. We wanted to give our daughter the most educative and active environment possible. We also wanted complete, unlimited freedom to decide how we would like to use the living room. After five years of intensive research and development, it is complete."
Keeping child safety in mind, BiT features a series of different shaped soft sofa pieces that fix together using strong interior magnets. The modules are frameless and don't have any hard corners or parts (except for the add on accessories), making them safe for children aged four and over. The series also incorporates back support elements and is designed to offer good back and postural support, consistent with traditional sofa lounges and armchairs. The blocks are made with solvent-free materials and do not contain any wood or toxic glues, paints or lacquer.
"Our idea was to create furniture that could be reformed to meet everyone's daily needs regardless of age," say the duo. "We put safety and cleanability to our first priority. Safetyness and low weight were achieved by making every piece frameless. That, in turn, helped to leave out lots of traditional sofa's components. BiT adapts to a variety of everyday situations such as surprise guests, changing social situations, children's physical play and demanding project and gaming environments. We wanted a soft companion to follow us everywhere for years instead of months. The sofa shouldn't be a disposable product."
Sanna and Mika Myllylä are currently seeking crowdfunding support to help launch BiT onto the market. Interested buyers can support the project via Indiegogo until the 29th of April 2019 with prices staring at US$231 for a two-piece ottoman. Shipping is slated for October if all goes to plan.
Sources: Living Spaces, Indiegogo