OctaFold: A Modular Urban Furniture Innovation for Public Architecture

Urban architecture is increasingly exploring how modular urban furniture can enhance public spaces, making them more flexible, engaging, and community driven. OctaFold, designed by Cody Jones and Cody Kotrlik, is an innovative example of how design can redefine the role of public furniture in cities. More than just a seating element, OctaFold combines the functions of a planter, seating, and table into one multifunctional installation. Its adaptable form transforms ordinary pavements, plazas, and intersections into vibrant gathering spaces.

Concept and Design

At its core, OctaFold is based on a concentric geometric system that unfolds to reveal multiple uses. When closed, it stands as a sculptural urban planter with greenery at its heart. Once opened, the design provides four seating areas with tables, seamlessly integrating comfort and nature. The modular structure allows flexibility: it can host dual users, fully unfold for group settings, or connect multiple units in linear, circular, or theater-style orientations. This adaptability ensures that OctaFold is not only a piece of urban furniture but also a dynamic architectural element for public interaction.

Urban Relevance

Cities worldwide face challenges of limited public seating, lack of greenery, and the need for adaptable social infrastructure. OctaFold addresses these issues by offering a single solution that fulfills multiple needs:

• Seating: Comfortable benches integrated into the design encourage rest and conversation.
• Greenery: Large planters bring ecological value and a calming aesthetic to dense urban environments.
• Table Space: Surfaces for reading, eating, or working make the installation multifunctional.

This combination elevates OctaFold beyond furniture—positioning it as an urban architecture intervention that bridges design, ecology, and social interaction.

Utilization Schemes

The flexibility of OctaFold is highlighted in its different utilization schemes:

• Dual Units for smaller interactions.
• Triple Units that form linear sequences in plazas.
• Theater Orientations that create semi-circular gathering hubs for performances or community events.

Such modular adaptability makes OctaFold suitable for a wide range of architectural contexts—from quiet residential streets to iconic public landmarks.

Impact on Public Architecture

By merging greenery with modular seating and social spaces, OctaFold challenges the conventional role of urban furniture. It becomes part of the architectural fabric of the city, inviting people to pause, connect, and engage with their surroundings. The design demonstrates how small-scale architectural interventions can have a large impact on urban vitality and community life.

OctaFold represents the future of modular urban architecture, where furniture and architecture blend seamlessly to create sustainable, multifunctional, and people-centric spaces. Projects like this remind us that architecture isn’t only about monumental buildings but also about the small interventions that shape daily urban experiences.

 Project by Cody Jones and Cody Kotrlik