A fragile and maybe even irritating balance: that’s definitely the last thing that would come to mind when thinking about seating design, let alone the shape of a bench. But when it comes to product designer Najla El Zein, it’s exactly these contradictions in form and function which trigger her creativity on an almost poetic level.

Her latest work—a series of benches by the name of Distortion—displays her skill of transforming art, design and emotion not only into an object of beauty but also into a minimalist product that will either blend into its surroundings perfectly or spike discussions about its concept from the first moment on.

Can I really sit on this? Am I allowed to sit on this? Will it fall over if I do? How to sit on this bench with two people? Najla El Zein doesn’t try to avoid questions like these. They are purposefully built into these benches, and it’s not only about the incomprehension she wants to trigger by creating these shapes. To Najla El Zein the bold body expands into a gentle, round and seductive form to embrace the beauty of femininity.