Nastaran Khanzade Is Honored with the Silver A' Design Award for Seylan Sofa Set in Furniture Design

Nastaran Khanzade acknowledged for furniture design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 22, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Silver A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category for Seylan Sofa Set by Nastaran Khanzade, designed for Rendi. The award was conferred within the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

What the Silver A' Design Award Means

The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.

About Seylan Sofa Set

Seylan is a sofa set designed for contemporary living spaces. The form is inspired by the flowing curves of Persian Nastaliq calligraphy. Continuous lines and soft curves replace sharp angles, so the sofa set appears sculptural from every side. The structure is made of solid wood, shaped by CNC cutting and then carved, sanded and finished by hand. The seating is built from layered high-density foam with fabric upholstery, and the curves guide a comfortable posture. The set includes a single seater and a three seater. The intent is to bring a traditional craft into modern interiors.

About Nastaran Khanzade

Nastaran Khanzade is a product and furniture designer based in Mashhad, Iran. With extensive experience in furniture manufacturing workshops, she creates designs that are both aesthetically distinctive and fully executable. Her work is deeply inspired by the fluidity of Persian Nastaliq calligraphy, translating cultural identity into contemporary furniture forms. She provides production-ready solutions, combining artistic vision with practical craftsmanship.

Award Record

Nastaran Khanzade is a winner of 1 A' Design Award, including this recognition.

About the A' Furniture Design Award

The A' Furniture Design Award is an international furniture competition recognizing good furniture designs by best furniture designers worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to furniture designers, product designers, industrial design studios and furniture brands from all countries. Entries typically include chairs, tables, sofas, beds, cabinets and shelves. Awarded furniture designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/furniture

About A' Design Award & Competition

A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/174865
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/174865
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!174865
Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/266943
Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.instagram.com/nastaran___khanzade

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

###

Fact Sheet

The Work

Project: Seylan Sofa Set
Function: Sofa Set
Category: Furniture Design
Discipline: Industrial Design
Industry: Furniture & Home
Colors: Light Gray, Snow, Dim Gray, Black and Dark Slate Gray
Images: 5
Client: Rendi

The Recognition

Laureate: Nastaran Khanzade
Country: Iran
Recognition: Silver A' Design Award
Edition: 2025 - 2026
Design ID: #174865

Design Details

Unique Properties: What sets this design apart is its ability to translate intangible rhythm into physical design. Unlike conventional modular or geometric sofas, this piece is born of movement; an uninterrupted gesture that echoes the energy of writing. It is not only functional but also emotionally resonant, rooted in Iranian visual culture yet universal in elegance.
Inspiration: The core inspiration for this design is “Seylan” (the fluid, continuous motion that defines the elegance of Persian Nastaliq calligraphy). In Nastaliq, letters do not simply sit beside each other; they flow with grace, as if carried by a silent internal rhythm. This flowing quality is not just visual; it is deeply emotional, creating a sense of calm movement. This sofa seeks to capture that motion in space. Its seamless form, soft curves, and uninterrupted structure reflect the essence of Seylan.
Research: This design explores the integration of traditional Persian calligraphy, specifically the fluid curves of the Nasta'liq script, into contemporary furniture design. The form is characterized by a seamless, organic flow without sharp angles, reflecting the graceful and harmonious movement of the Nasta'liq lines. The absence of rigid structures emphasizes comfort, fluidity, and elegance, creating a unified form that adapts to both functional and aesthetic needs. The design aims to bring cultural heritage into the modern living space, bridging the gap between timeless artistry and modern design principles.
Challenge: One of the key challenges was creating a unified and continuous form that feels both sculptural and inviting. The design process involved extensive studies to develop a shape that maintains visual fluidity from every angle while also functioning as ergonomic seating. Preserving the harmony between curves, ensuring structural integrity, and integrating all parts into a seamless whole required a careful balance between digital precision and handcrafted sensitivity. Achieving this unity while working within material and production limitations was a central creative and technical effort.
Realization and Technology: The structure of the sofa set is crafted through a combination of CNC precision cutting and traditional hand-carving techniques. Solid wood is sculpted to achieve the flowing, calligraphy-inspired curves, then meticulously sanded and finished by hand to enhance its tactile and visual elegance. The seating is constructed using high-density foam layered for ergonomic comfort, upholstered with carefully selected fabric to complement the organic form. This blend of digital accuracy and artisanal craftsmanship allows the piece to maintain both structural integrity and sculptural fluidity.
Operation and Interaction: The user engages with the sofa through intuitive physical interaction; by sitting, leaning, or resting. The flowing curves naturally guide the posture, offering comfort without requiring adjustment. The tactile quality of the carved wood and the softness of the fabric enhance the sensory experience. Beyond seating, the piece invites visual interaction, encouraging users to move around it, observe its lines, and feel its sculptural presence in the space.
Project Duration and Location: The project began in January 2025 and was completed in April 2025. The prototype was designed and built in Mashhad, Iran, at the Rendi Furniture Factory.
Specifications: Single Seater Dimensions: W 85 cm × D 75 cm × H 75 cm Three Seater Dimensions: W 210 cm × D 80 cm × H 75 cm Materials: Solid Wood Structure, High-Density Foam, Fabric Upholstery Production Technique: CNC Machining Combined With Hand Carving And Finishing Packaging: Protective Wrapping With Padded Corners, Suitable For International Shipping
Keywords: Furniture Design, Modern Sofa, Sculptural Furniture, Fluid Form, Ergonomic Seating, CNC Woodwork, Handmade Finish, Minimal Form, Contemporary Design, Iranian Design, Artistic Furniture, Flowing Lines, Organic Shape, Calligraphy Inspired, One-Piece Form, Seamless Design