Inflatable furniture isn’t a completely alien concept these days, but most of the time, it is more focused on air mattresses that stay in one place most of the time. The benefits of such a kind of bed are still arguable. Some definitely swear by their ergonomic and comfort advantages, while others warn of their short lifespans and harmful long-term effects. This particular air-filled piece of furniture, however, has a pretty different and specific objective that may actually appeal to a larger number of people than air mattresses. This inflatable chair is designed to be a portable seating solution you can set up in any outdoor environment, though its practicality and comfort are left to the readers’ imaginations.
Designers: Kim Seungwoo, Kim Siwon, Kim Chanwoo, Yoon Jonghoon
At long last, people finally appreciate outdoor activities, whether it’s engaging in exercise or simply kicking up one’s feet at a campsite. The latter is ironically a bit more stressful despite how it sounds, mostly because of the preparations and equipment needed to make a truly comfortable experience. You don’t have to go crazy over those, of course, especially if you just want to sit back and chill. All you really need is something to sit on, which is exactly what this concept tries to offer in a very portable manner.
The Bag Sofa is an inflatable chair designed for easy carrying to any location. Unlike something like an air mattress, it folds down to a very flat rectangular piece that you can carry around like a bag, hence the name. Part of the bag is made of hard pieces that form the structure or frame of the sofa, while soft cloth-like parts serve as the connecting materials that allow the chair to fold. It’s almost like those fabric-covered foldable boxes, except it’s shaped to form the semblance of a chair when unfolded.
The inflatable part forms the “filling” of the sofa that lets you actually sit on it and provide something soft enough to be a bit comfortable compared to wood or metal. The same fabric material is draped over the transparent inflatable bag to create a more pleasing appearance and protect the skin from sticking to the bag’s synthetic surface.
The idea for Bag Sofa is to be able to simply set up a seat anywhere outdoors and then pick it up again to move on. It may be an alluring concept, but it does raise the question of how easily you can inflate the thing in the first place. If you’re traveling extremely light with nothing but the folded chair, you will most likely have to rely on your own lungs to fill it up, which is contrary to the relaxing outdoor experience that the concept tries to sell.
