THE HOBO

The Hobo is an environmentally forward, mobile, multi‐functional transformable object. Carried on the shoulder, it acts as a transport bag with enough storage space to pack a beach blanket and picnic items; separate the magnetically bound pair of semi‐circles, rotate 90 degrees, and the Hobo becomes a comfortable outdoor lounge chair. Taking its design cues from nature, the Hobo is inspired by the bell pepper (a solid exterior shell and hollow interior, graced by a pendulum of seeds), the avocado (tough skin exterior surrounding a soft flesh and inner seed) and bamboo (durability and sustainability). The Hobo is made up of four primary components: The bamboo exterior, the cushion/lining, hollow interior for storage and the seed‐ the source of life of all three objects. Made from 100% eco‐friendly materials, the Hobo is portable, compact, modular, minimalist and sustainable. Tri axially woven strips of bamboo form the exterior shell of the chair, while a padded sleeve lines the interior, providing support and storage. The overall shape of the chair is a torus, which divides into two, equally sized halves, with a seed nestled into the storage cavity. Earth magnets housed on both ends of the interior and exterior shell provide a sturdy connection when the Hobo is closed. They also allow the halves to separate and reconnect easily, forming different sitting and lounging configurations. The bamboo exterior is sturdy yet flexible, making it comfortable to sit on. The interior seedpod can be used as both a pillow, and as additional storage for small items. Up to two people can use one Hobo at a time in up to five different configurations. When closed, the halves of the chair snap together, making it easy to carry over one’s shoulder like a “hobo” style bag that’s less than 30” at its widest points.