South Korean industrial designer Junha Kahm has introduced Facade, a modular chair designed to rethink how furniture adapts, ages, and remains useful over time. Rather than treating longevity primarily as a question of material sourcing, the project focuses on repairable components and replaceable surfaces.
The chair comprises two fundamental elements: a brushed stainless-steel tube frame and eight semi-rigid PETG panels. The panels attach to the permanent frame with straightforward bolts and threaded inserts. Consequently, users can replace individual sections when they become damaged or alter the chair’s appearance as interiors evolve.
A Furniture System Built to Change
Facade draws directly from industrial architecture. The stainless steel framework serves as the structural core, while the PETG panels function as replaceable exterior cladding. This distinction gives the chair a practical modularity that extends beyond visual customization.
Translucent panels reveal the underlying metal structure and create a lighter appearance. Opaque options, meanwhile, can significantly alter the chair’s atmosphere. A warm amber-orange configuration suggests relaxed terrace seating, while crisp white panels create a cleaner studio aesthetic.
The system also prioritizes manufacturing efficiency. Kahm establishes a one-to-two proportion ratio across the core structure, creating a consistent visual rhythm. Furthermore, all eight panels share identical symmetry, with the upper and lower components mirroring one another across the seat and backrest.
This standardization reduces manufacturing complexity. More importantly, it supports the long-term availability of replacement parts, reinforcing the project’s emphasis on repair rather than disposal.
Precision in the Structure
The chair’s connection points introduce another layer of detail. White PETG rounded elbow joints sit where the frame sections meet, adding visual softness against the rigidity of the brushed stainless steel.
Meanwhile, the rear legs use a precise 14-degree splay. Other connections incorporate three-degree and eight-degree variations. Together, these calculated angles create a subtle forward lean that gives the chair a deliberate, dynamic profile.
Despite its structural character, Facade remains focused on practical use. The entire system can be disassembled into components small enough to fit inside a basic shopping basket. As a result, transporting the chair avoids many of the logistical challenges associated with conventional structural furniture.
The compact construction also reinforces Kahm’s broader modular philosophy. Instead of designing a finished object with a fixed appearance, Facade treats furniture as an adaptable system whose exterior can evolve with its surroundings and owner.
Kahm summarizes that approach in his project notes by describing the chair as having one point, sixteen panels and infinite facades. In that sense, Facade presents modularity not simply as a visual feature, but as a strategy for extending the useful life of furniture.
