CHESS SET designed FOR TACTILE RECOGNITION AND PINCH-GRIP PLAY

Designed by industrial designer Lucy Aboonour, Flora is a tactile chess set engineered to be recognized, grasped, and maneuvered primarily through touch rather than sight. Developed over a four-year period of observational research across New York City parks and chess clubs, the project addresses common ergonomic shortcomings in contemporary minimalist sets, where visual abstraction often impedes rapid piece identification and tactile handling during competitive play.

full set – top view | all images ©Lucy Aboonour

CONVEX OAK AND WALNUT PROFILES INTEGRATE PINCH-GRIP CONTOURS

Each of the six piece typologies features a wide footprint, a tapered silhouette, and a weighted base configured with an intentionally low center of gravity to prevent tipping. The piece profiles incorporate convex curvatures calibrated specifically for a two-finger pinch grip, distributing fingertip pressure to maintain hand stability during quick movements.…