Anastasiia Lialina

Modern Hearth

For centuries, homes across cultures were centred around a hearth. From the Japanese kotatsu and irori to the Persian korsi and the Russian oven, warmth created more than comfort — it created rituals, conversations, and a sense of belonging. As these hearths disappeared, many of the everyday traditions and rituals connected to them disappeared as well. Central heating replaced them with warmth that is dispersed and impersonal.

Modern Hearth once again allows heating to play a role in bringing people together. Instead of heating an entire room, it creates a localised microclimate around the body using an infrared heater and layered textiles, achieving a high level of thermal comfort while using less energy. Through shared warmth, soft textiles, gentle weight, colour and soft shapes, the project encourages people to slow down, gather, rest, and reconnect with one another.

The system was developed with affordability, adaptability, and longevity in mind. Rather than functioning as a fully separate furniture object, Modern Hearth acts as a seasonal add-on that can be attached to existing furniture during colder periods. The modular textile components are removable, washable in standard household washing machines, and are designed for disassembly, repair, and replacement. Chair covers are adaptable to multiple standard chair models, while the tabletop system is compatible with different tables, allowing the hearth to integrate into existing domestic environments. The project also brings physiological benefits associated with localised warmth, such as improved circulation and physical relaxation.

Beyond thermal comfort, Modern Hearth explores how design can create conditions for presence, ritual, and togetherness in contemporary life.