London based Japanese designer Shin Azumi had to learn the concept of a chair. “I didn’t have a chair until I came to the UK,” he says. I think he has mastered the function of seating in an elegant, playful style.

The AP stool for Lapalma was initiated as an experiment, created from a single sheet of plywood. The stool was introduced at the Salone Internationale del Mobile 2010. The naturalness of the seat and body of the stool that merge from one to other is captivating.

A witty interpretation of an everyday activity, seating. This is more than just function — there is a Zen tranquility about it. Sometimes we fall for design because it is quietly good design.