Highly commended: Seating design of the year 2025. Zilio A&C has designed Ax, a stool that evokes the moment when a log, struck by the woodcutter's axe, splits in two.

Ax is a stackable stool with graphic purity that transcends time, suited to many different spontaneous situations from domestic spaces to contract environments.

The stool is made of ash plywood; thin, bent plywood sheets are joined to the plywood seat panels.

The split that characterises Ax suggests its suitability for moving and stacking, making it an ideal complement for informal seating in restaurants, bars and exhibition spaces, allowing for the quick setup of a talk space or flexible placement in home interiors.

Judges comments: "We were drawn to the visual simplicity of this small and joyful stool. It has a satisfying and understandable construction - an altogether very liveable product!"

Studio: Zilio A&C
Project: Ax
Credits: Alessandro Stabile