Circle | Square

Commission for MPavilion

2023

Our winning design for the MPavilion Chair Commission competition draws inspiration from the architect of this year's pavilion, Tadao Ando, and his emphasis on the geometry of circles and squares. By incorporating these strong platonic forms, our Circle | Square stool aimed to integrate with the overall concept of MPavilion 10, echoing its singular composition and form.

Circle | Square rejects notions of decoration, focusing instead on the selection of natural materials used honestly and on legibility of form. The carved curved seat detail and the use of locally sourced timber as the solitary material maintain the pavilion's focus on purity and simplicity, whilst adding warmth and familiarity

Photography by Marie - Luise Skibbe

Photography by Ryan Hernandez.

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“As someone whose work is informed deeply by geometry, I felt there was an important synergy between my investigations into the use of Platonic circles and squares and the Circle | Square stool. The use of fundamental geometry to create ordered spaces and structures traces back to Ancient Egypt, and it was exciting to see this carried through in the captivating, pure design from the team at Davidov Architects.”

Tadao Ando

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“I was drawn to the design not only due to our shared use of the circle and the squares, but because they demonstrated a sublime understanding of the tectonic relationship between geometry, material and craftsmanship, which in the end became a reflection of the space they reside in.”

Tadao Ando

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