James Murphy's Casul chair transforms into children's castle play set

Irish furniture designer James Murphy has created Casul, a plywood chair that unfolds into a children's castle play set with just two moves. The project earned him one of the top prizes at London's New Designers showcase. Casul uses clever timber joints and kid-safe friction hinges to transform from a miniature throne into an abstract castle. One version features chalkboard paint for redecorating; another hides foam swords under the seat and cushions that become shields. Murphy developed the design as his final-year project at Nottingham Trent University, inspired by a work placement at Lego and post-war transformable furniture like Hans Brockhage's Schaukelwagen. The play set is designed for unsupervised use by children as young as three. All components can be CNC machined from a single 15-millimetre sheet of plywood, yielding up to three chairs. Habitat awarded Casul its Future Design Award at New Designers, praising the balance of playfulness and functionality.