Kino: A 3D-Printed Chair by Pablo Castillo Featuring Integrated Bookshelf and Enhanced Comfort
In a compelling fusion of innovative design and advanced manufacturing, Barcelona-based designer Pablo Castillo has unveiled Kino, a groundbreaking 3D-printed chair developed in partnership with American furniture specialist Decibel. This distinctive seating solution seamlessly integrates a practical bookshelf directly beneath its cantilevered seat, offering a clever blend of form and function. Kino represents a significant advancement in 3D-printed furniture, not only for its unique aesthetic but also for its material composition and ergonomic considerations, earning it a coveted spot on the Dezeen Awards shortlist for seating design of the year.
Castillo's primary objective with Kino was to craft a chair that possessed an instantly recognizable profile while fully embracing the inherent possibilities and limitations of the 3D printing process. The chair is conceived as a singular, unified structure, or monobloc, where the T-shaped seating surface, its supporting legs, the integrated storage shelf, and the gently curved backrest are all formed as one continuous piece. This integrated design is a testament to the capabilities of large-scale 3D printing, allowing for complex geometries and functional elements to be produced without the need for assembly.
The indoor version of Kino is fabricated using PLA, a widely adopted bioplastic, which is further enhanced with cellulose plant fibers. This material reinforcement is crucial, as it significantly boosts the chair's structural integrity, making the elegant cantilevered seat a viable and robust feature. For environments requiring greater durability and weather resistance, Decibel also offers an outdoor variant of Kino, meticulously printed from recycled PETG, a resilient thermoplastic polyester, underscoring a commitment to sustainable material practices.
Castillo articulated his design philosophy, emphasizing how the intrinsic characteristics of plastic, particularly its layered construction in 3D printing, directly informed the chair's distinctive features. He explained that this approach transcended mere dimensional and ergonomic standards, leading to the organic emergence of elements like the cantilevered seat, the under-seat storage, and the specific T-junction details that define Kino's unique character. These design choices are not merely aesthetic but are deeply rooted in the material and process, showcasing a thoughtful dialogue between designer and technology.
A key innovation in Kino's design is the T-shape of its seat, which employs cantilevers extending both forward and backward. This ingenious configuration imbues the chair with a degree of flexibility and responsiveness often absent in conventionally rigid 3D-printed furniture, thereby significantly improving user comfort. By incorporating a corrugated structure directly into the 3D print on the underside of the seat, Castillo and Decibel achieved a chair that offers a broader range of motion than typical designs. This allows Kino to comfortably accommodate various sitting postures, from deeply reclined relaxation to more engaged, forward-leaning positions, adapting seamlessly to the user's needs.
Kino is a proud addition to Decibel's Editions collection, a curated series that showcases collaborations with esteemed designers such as Charles Birshaw, Karim Rashid, and Deniz Aktay. The collection debuted with considerable acclaim at the Alcova show in Milan in 2025, where Decibel captivated attendees by live-printing chairs on-site within the historic confines of the former SNIA factory in Varedo. The chairs in this collection, including Kino, are brought to life using advanced Caracol robotic 3D printers, a technology that enables the creation of intricate and complex geometries that would be virtually impossible to achieve through traditional injection molding techniques.
