Sundae Lounges by Jason Ju for DesignByThem

VDF products fair: The Sundae seating collection, created by Australian designer Jason Ju for DesignByThem, features chubby, marshmallow-like curves that envelop its occupier.

The series includes an armchair, lounge and ottoman, with a plump silhouette that is carved from multiple layers of fluffy foam.

This is enhanced by a deep, low-slung seat, which lends itself to sinking into the voluminous upholstery.

Below, the shape is formed from a steel skeleton and an FSC-certified plywood base, to create a durable structure that can withstand even commercial use.

"Many lounges utilise a lot of material, structurally, in order to keep it together, but we designed the Sundae range to challenge this for the construction," said Ju, who is a longtime design and production coordinator for DesignByThem.

"We needed to build around a minimal steel structure but keep the voluminous shape. To do this, we experimented over multiple prototypes with foam layering techniques using specific layers and densities to get a comfortable feel."

With the aim of creating longlasting cosiness, the seat was also padded out with a bouncy spring system, which, unlike foam, hardly changes its shape over time.

Taking the armchair as a module, the design can be easily scaled up into two or three-seaters and beyond, while functioning as an ottoman without the arm and backrests.

The lounges are upholstered in a range of Kvadrat textiles, including colours such as white and pink that further highlight their marshmallow-like appearance.

With the series, Ju hopes to feed into the growing body of contemporary Australian design work, which is just starting to develop its own language.

"Because we are a young country with a young immigration history, we are still working towards having a specific aesthetic or style," he explained.

"I believe Australia brings forth many different perspectives of the world through its designs and I’m proud to contribute to that scene as a second-generation Aussie of South Korean descent."

Photography is by Pete Daly.

Product: Sundae Lounges
Designer: Jason Ju
Brand: DesignByThem
Contact address: info@designbythem.com

About VDF products fair: the VDF products fair offers an affordable launchpad for new products during Virtual Design Festival. For more details email vdf@dezeen.com.

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