Knoll’s ‘Biboni’ couch is impressed by Seventies icons and the Michelin Man

When Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee of structure follow Johnston Marklee have been brainstorming a reputation for his or her debut furnishings assortment for Knoll, they curiously merged the phrases ‘Bibendum’ and ‘Macaroni’. Dubbed ‘Biboni’, their couch assortment (together with two-, three- and four-seaters, in addition to sectionals with chaise choices) is outlined by curves boldly enveloping the physique, and a body that seems to softly float.

‘The “Biboni” has a chubbiness that feels welcoming and casual,’ says Johnston. ‘It additionally has the precision and purity of a centrepiece in a room. On one hand, its bulbous form is lighthearted and enjoyable. On the opposite, its scalloped silhouette and bespoke tailoring lend a formality and timelessness akin to that of a Chesterfield couch.’

The architects’ moodboard for the mission featured a sequence of legendary designs from the previous: Eileen Grey’s ‘Bibendum’ chair, Seventies sofas together with Afra and Tobia Scarpa’s ‘Soriana’, Mario Bellini’s ‘Camaleonda’, and Pierre Paulin’s ‘ABCD’. The Michelin Man (named Bibendum) was additionally on their thoughts: ‘[His] curves, dimples, and “elbows”, particularly, impressed us. We noticed synergy with one thing like Venturi Scott Brown’s “Grandma” couch – extra American in its proportions,’ says Lee. ‘We requested: “What can we take from these to design for at the moment’s way of life?”’

The result’s a settee that’s trendy and sculpted, its modular curves forming a design that’s inviting with out feeling too informal. Marking the architects’ first business product design, the couch system was conceived like a constructing: ‘Every a part of “Biboni” has been rigorously thought-about by way of its relationship to a room,’ says Johnston.

‘At any time when we’re designing an area, we’re at all times drawing furnishings from the very starting, understanding the room by way of the size of its occupants, going from the room to the chair and from the chair to the room. Working with furnishings is a vital framework for our staff to consider house and scale.’

Of their architectural work, curves and empty house outline a constructing as a lot as its structural parts, and this sense of distinction between void and the chubbiness of the couch’s edges appears to replicate their method when working at bigger scales.

‘We spent quite a lot of time sculpting the shape to strike a stability – not too slouchy, not too inflexible. The design of the double curve was key to embrace the physique with out being overly bespoke,’ says Lee. ‘All through the design course of, we grew to become far more conscious of the distinctions between how individuals sit in private and non-private areas. We needed to help a sort of pure consolation that’s nonetheless poised, like an off-the-cuff swimsuit – structured, however nonetheless relaxed.’

The pair have been additionally guided by an understanding of Knoll’s personal wealthy historical past. Their couch matches nicely with the structural integrity of classics by legendary designers like Eero Saarinen, Marcel Breuer, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. ‘“Biboni” is designed to work nicely alongside different collections – its robust kind doesn’t dominate a room, but we like that Biboni will be its personal character,’ says Lee.

‘Mining the archive is related at the moment to proceed the dialogue and perceive one of the best historic works in relation to new designs,’ provides Johnston.

The architects labored intently with Knoll to develop the construction of the couch by fixing technical challenges alongside the best way. ‘Our collaboration started collectively on a number of tracks – understanding what we’re fixing for; cautious technical research of precedent within the realm of our work to grasp conceptual, technical, and luxury issues – then we begin prototyping, it was a means of discovery with the Knoll staff in Meda [Italy], and we labored along with their materials consultants to invent new varieties,’ says Johnston.