Austen Chair, Wafj Armchair
Design by: LAITA Design

Introduction

LAITA Design Studio, co-founded by Nguyễn Đình Hòa and Nguyễn T. Thái Hằng, is an interdisciplinary design studio that employs architectural thinking as a driving force and method in its workflow. LAITA Design’s activities range from research, translation, and architectural-urban practice to product and graphic design, as well as creative strategy design.

The people at LAITA Design, coming from diverse backgrounds, are always curious and carefully observe the surrounding living context to propose alternative or questioning solutions. LAITA Design believes that design always emerges from context and must return to serve that context. However, the studio also recognizes that architects and designers should not focus solely on the materiality of design, because once design enters life, it does not remain purely physical; it is absorbed through experience and gradually restructures the embodied understanding of people. With an awareness of action and responsibility as free citizens, the team continuously seeks answers about the necessity of architecture and design, while exploring ways to expand the boundaries of their practice and their contributions to life and society.

Austen Chair

Dimensions: 430 × 380 × 1300 mm
Materials: Wood, Aluminum

Wafj Armchair

Wafj is made entirely from polyurethane foam (PUR foam), a material commonly used in packaging, insulation, and low cost upholstered furniture. However, instead of treating it as a supplementary cushioning layer, LAITA transforms polyurethane into the main structure, a solid mass capable of holding shape and bearing load without a complex internal frame. This liberates the design from traditional structural and workflow constraints, opening up the possibility for freer conceptual expression.

The surface of Wafj is coated with a flexible, crack resistant paint typically used in high end fashion, allowing a finish that is subtly reflective, smooth, and scratch resistant. The process involves 10 layers of hand applied paint (100 hours of work), with each layer dried and finely sanded in between, creating visual depth similar to traditional lacquer but with a modern industrial spirit. This meticulous surface treatment elevates an industrial material into a new aesthetic experience.

Dimensions: 900 × 740 × 850 mm
Materials: Foam with painted surface