Words Foster + Partners
Photography Foster + Partners and Aaron Hargreaves.
Foster + Partners Industrial Design and Isokon have introduced a new furniture collection called ‘Join’ at this year’s London Design Festival. The collection includes a lounge chair, footstool, and tables, created through hands-on prototyping and refinement.
The pieces highlight Isokon’s plywood expertise, showing new possibilities with layered veneer techniques. Mike Holland, Head of Industrial Design at Foster + Partners, said:“The collaboration with Isokon has celebrated craft, production expertise and shared values. Working closely with the team, we pushed the boundaries of what plywood can do – structurally, visually and ergonomically.”
“The collaboration with Isokon has celebrated craft, production expertise and shared values. Working closely with the team, we pushed the boundaries of what plywood can do – structurally, visually and ergonomically.”
The chair is inspired by folding techniques. Flat sheets of veneered timber are cut into a special “trouser-shaped” pattern. When pressed, this creates a strong, ergonomic form. The chair has plywood or metal tube legs that blend seamlessly with the shell. A padded cover is optional for added comfort.
The footstool follows the same geometry as the chair. The tables have a clean, geometric design and come in three sizes. Each tabletop includes a hidden grommet for cables and plugs, making them practical for modern use. The Join collection is available in birch, walnut, oak, and stained inishes, designed for both homes and commercial spaces.
Sheets of veneered timber are cut into a distinctive pattern – resembling a ‘trouser’ shape – which, when pressed, forms the structural ergonomic shape of the Join chair.
Inspired by folding techniques and engineered through extensive full-scale prototyping, the Join lounge chair was developed by exploring how flat surfaces translate into three-dimensional forms.
The Join chair in production, which is supported by matching plywood legs that seamlessly connect with the chair’s form.
Foster + Partners Industrial Design worked closely with the Isokon team, engaging directly with the crafting and making process.
The Join chair is a reflection of the precise and technical design and making process.
