Mike and Maaike

The San Francisco design firm Mike and Maaike yesterday introduced a first in window seat designs. Rather than the over-upholstered shelf beneath a window, the duo’s Windowseat Lounge, provides the chair and the window, in one. The design plays with positive and negative space, also what they call “sub-architectural space,” to give the sitter a womb like enclosure, separate from the space around him; and the viewer an image of a person framed. Do they make art of people? Not so sure, but they do make art of seating. These are perfect for airports, lobbies, restaurants, theaters…and Mike and Maaike will do limited production runs and custom commissions.

The wrap-around design creates a room-within-a-room, complete with its own unique view. A swivelling base provides full control over the framed perspective, allowing you to pan 360 degrees to take in the environment or block it out.

Terms like "walls" or "ceiling" usually refer to architecture; by taking these architectural elements and applying them to furniture, the Windowseat Lounge becomes a sub-architectural space of its own.

Along with this new sense of space comes the dynamic play between being inside vs. outside as well as new social or asocial behavior when the chair is introduced into public settings. When used in multiples, the Windowseat Lounge opens up a wide range of possibilities. By directing the chairs towards each other, two friends can engage in a semi-private conversation. By directing the chairs away from each other, two strangers can create their own individual space, ideal for reading, relaxing, or people-watching.

The smooth, singular form is achieved by full upholstery over a foam-padded rigid molded frame. The seat floats lightly upon a contrasting steel base. The base’s swivelling post extends to the ground, supporting most of the chair’s weight and allowing the legs to appear thin and light.