Akhalteke

Lounge Chair for Amin Mohammadyari

Akhalteke offers a unique sitting experience, evoking the sensation of riding a horse for the first time. Inspired by the designer's childhood horseback riding experiences and fascination with equine anatomy, the design establishes a two way interaction between the user and their experience. Drawing from the saddle, one of humanity's earliest seating forms, Akhalteke blends the comfort of a lounge chair with the essence of riding. The name comes from the Akhalteke, a breed of Turkmen horses, reflecting the design’s inspiration and dynamic form.

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Akhalteke by Amin Mohammadyari

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Lounge Chair by Amin Mohammadyari

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Amin Mohammadyari Akhalteke

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Amin Mohammadyari Lounge Chair

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Amin Mohammadyari Designer Portrait Photo

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Unique Properties

In the design of Akhal-Teke, my goal was to create a unique sitting experience, one that evokes the feeling we all had the first time we rode a horse. Akhal-Teke establishes a two-way interaction with the user and their experience, offering a distinctive way of sitting that the user willingly embraces. This eagerness to experience and accept is inspired by the Form of Akhal-Teke.

Tags

Conceptual, Lounge Chair, Lounge, Chair, Horse, Saddle

Production Technology

For the construction of Akhal-Teke, bio-composites made from hemp or flax fibers and PLA bio-resin were considered. This combination enabled the creation of a high-quality final form with desirable finishes while offering a sustainable alternative to traditional composites like fiberglass and carbon fiber. At the same time, these materials not only promote environmental responsibility but also reinforce a natural connection to their inspiration.

Design Challenge

The primary challenge in the design process was to create a two-way experience in the act of sitting, such that the object (seat) and the subject (user) engage in a dialectical interaction with one another, transforming sitting from a passive state into an active one and allowing for a fresh understanding of the sitting experience. The next significant challenge was to achieve a form that simultaneously incorporates both aesthetics and functionality. The design was not intended to directly reference the anatomy of a horse. Rather, the goal was to establish a subtle connection to the experience of sitting, enabling users to intuitively connect with it without relying on direct or obvious visual cues.

Project Duration

the project started in September 2023 in Tehran and finished in September 2024.

Operation Flow

The Akhal-Teke is inspired by the elegance of the anatomy of the Akhal-Teke breed of Turkmen horses, striving to go beyond its purely functional concept and becoming an object with identity in space, much like a noble horse. As a chair, Akhal-Teke offers a unique sitting experience, evoking the feeling of riding a horse for the first time. Its form creates a two-way interaction with the user, encouraging a distinctive way of sitting that is eagerly embraced. This eagerness stems from the form of the Akhal-Teke.

Research

The horse, one of the first domesticated animals by humans, has a deep-rooted history with mankind. Our ancestors spent a significant amount of time riding, and thus, the way of sitting on a horse became one of the most common sitting postures. In the design of Akhal-Teke, the aim is to revive this sitting posture and bring it into everyday human life; a way of sitting that is likely embedded in our historical memory and DNA. On the other hand, in considering materials for Akhal-Teke, thorough research was conducted to ensure that sustainable and environmentally friendly options were taken into account. In this regard, the material identity chosen for Akhal-Teke is aligned with the core identity of its design.

Inspiration

The design is inspired by my childhood experiences of horseback riding and my fascination with equine anatomy. As a design student, I was drawn to the idea that saddles represent some of humanity's earliest forms of seating, dating back to the domestication of horses. Through this design, I sought to capture the feel of both a lounge chair and the riding experience, creating a form that evokes those dual inspirations. The name Akhal-Teke is derived from a breed of Turkmen horses.

Project Overview

Akhalteke Lounge Chair has been a Bronze winner in the Furniture Design award category in the year 2024 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.

Image Credits

For design images and photos please credit Amin Mohammadyari.

Bronze Recognition

Amin Mohammadyari was recognized with the coveted Bronze A' Design Award in 2025, a testament to excellence of their work Akhalteke Lounge Chair.

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