MKCA x TRNK: Sarsen Series

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New York, NY - Sarsen is a sofa and carpet collection designed by Michael K. Chen Architecture (MKCA) for TRNK. Sarsens are spatial building blocks and social connectors, deliberately open-ended and designed to be configured and positioned in a multitude of ways, in many types of spaces. The design language refers to joinery and balance, and is characterized by elephantine proportions and forms. Some corners of the furniture elements are hefty and grounded, while other edges are cantilevered above the floor.

The intersection of fat legs and thick cushions are the foundation of the modular upholstered seating system. Built around a daybed rather than a formal sofa, the system is inherently social. It creates opportunities for friends and family to cluster, or for strangers to share a single piece of furniture while preserving personal space. The design of the daybed and chair incorporates a solid base and a levitating edge, a formal language that is at once light and also firmly grounded. The hefty offset foot helps to counterbalance the composition.

The elements of the seating system are multidirectional, offering the ability for the pieces to be positioned at the edge or in the middle of the space. The daybed and armless chair makes it possible to lounge or sit facing four directions. In combination, the consistent 32" module of the seat allows for a wide range of sectional configurations, from a long chaise arrangement, to a conventional sectional L, to a conversation pit offering seating in the round facing in and facing out. In addition to the multitude of orientations, the system also invites different positions, including lounging back or perched on backs and arms.

The carpets, born of a similar design language, are deliberately non-rectangular and anticipate asymmetrical seating arrangements. The floor pieces are consciously consistent and reject texture and pattern, instead, the design of the pieces is based on notching and joining, with a figuration that emerges from the carpet’s pile, texture, and color. The smaller carpets can nestle into spaces between furniture, defining the space of an intimate gathering or a small living space, or be scaled and clustered to the size of a room that supports many groupings.

Says Michael K. Chen, founder and principal of MKCA: “We were looking for a design language for the collection that would be relevant to how we use spaces today. Sarsens are flexible, transitioning from work to after work to social time, to alone time. The system is adaptable, and speaks to what we loved most about sofa systems from the 70s with their inherent looseness, adventurous aesthetics, and ideas about new forms of living; but at the same time are tight, crisp, and comfortable to lounge in. The Sarsen pieces belong everywhere from lobbies and public spaces, to hospitality settings, to the home.”

Photography by Roman Meza:

MKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman Meza
MKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman Meza
MKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman Meza
MKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman Meza
MKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman Meza
MKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman Meza
MKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman Meza
MKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman MezaMKCA x TRNK Sarsen collection, Photo by Roman Meza

 

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About MKCA

Michael K Chen Architecture (MKCA) is an architecture practice headquartered in New York City. The studio is widely recognized for buildings, interiors, and objects that embrace material expression, elegant spatial choreography, and innovative and thoughtful approaches to craft. Through a process that is considered, collaborative, and inclusive, MKCA is invested in linking the aesthetic, technical and social worlds, based on the belief that design creates impact through its participants, materials, and making.

Our approach is deeply informed by curiosity and a love of tinkering, of drawing, of discourse and of making. Our methods and technical capabilities are at the leading edge of design, analysis, manufacturing, and construction, enabling us to move fluidly across the realms of beauty and function. We strive to produce spaces and experiences that are unexpected, intelligent, and full of delight, through processes that value diversity, environmental stewardship, and workers.

As an experienced New York City based practice, we are comfortable with complexity and treat adversity as an opportunity. We are a diverse team who bring a wide range of experiences to the design and making of each project, and we draw upon an even broader multidisciplinary network of collaborators, including artists, designers, craftspeople, scientists, advocates, and community engagement leaders to create unique and thoughtful work for our clients.

MKCA has received honors for design excellence, research, social good, and for contributions to the design disciplines and has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, New York Magazine, T: The New York Times Style Magazine, The New York Times, Vogue Living, and Wallpaper*, among many other publications.

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