U-T-B Work Chair by p(erson)al turns fastening into structure
PU-T-B Work Chair by p(erson)al is a swivel chair developed from a fastening system that uses polyurethane tubes as structural connectors. Designed by the Seoul-based studio founded by Woojin Park, the project applies the PU-T-B system to office and studio seating, turning a basic mechanical action — tightening a bolt through a tube — into the chair’s main construction principle.
The system relies on the behaviour of polyurethane under pressure. When a bolt passes through the inner diameter of the tube, the material compresses around the metal and generates resistance through elasticity and friction. This holding force allows the parts to remain stable without the need for complex joints or concealed mechanisms. In PU-T-B Work Chair, the connection is not hidden inside the object; it is the object’s defining feature.
The chair is built from aluminium profiles, polyurethane tubes and exposed hardware. Each part remains visible, making the assembly easy to read from the outside. The aluminium gives the structure rigidity, while the polyurethane tubes absorb pressure and define the points where components meet. Through this combination, the chair turns structural load into a visual system of lines, planes and fastening points.
p(erson)al developed PU-T-B from a series of simplified structural experiments before expanding the method into furniture and hardware. The work chair marks a more functional application of the system, adapting it to the requirements of a rotating seat for everyday work environments. Its swivel base introduces movement, while the upper structure keeps the studio’s interest in open assembly and industrial clarity.
The project fits within Woojin Park’s broader approach to industrial materials. Through p(erson)al, the designer reworks familiar components into objects and spatial systems, focusing on how standard materials can produce unexpected forms and functions. PU-T-B Work Chair does not disguise its technical logic with surface treatment or decorative enclosure. Instead, it presents tension, compression and fastening as the chair’s visual language.
A recurring reference in the studio’s practice is the spirit level, or bubble level, used to measure physical balance. For p(erson)al, the tool represents the negotiation between objective measurement and personal interpretation. That idea appears in PU-T-B Work Chair through the contrast between measurable forces and the subjective character of the finished object. The chair is precise in its mechanics, but expressive in the way those mechanics are exposed.
All images credit: p(erson)al
https://www.instagram.com/p_erson_al
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