Yabu Pushelberg have been shortlisted for Seating Award in the International Design and Architecture Awards 2021.
Inspired by the unique ways in which we think, create and define togetherness, Yabu Pushelberg sought to construct a relationship between organic shapes in the formation of a uniquely unified whole. An exercise in combining form, Yabu Pushelberg acted as matchmaker, sketching organic shapes and gradually pairing them together to see how they interact as one. To embody the collection’s inspiration, the studio created amorphous silhouettes serving as foundation for Naviglio. Like pieces of a puzzle, each shape was ergonomically engineered by B&B Italia’s team of makers to seamlessly assemble as one cohesive unit.
The design works so well because of the juxtaposition of forms are simultaneously which makes them feel right together. It’s as though the missing pieces of one is found in the other to create a whole. Uniting different forms of thinking, creating and defining togetherness is an extraordinary experience and the designer wanted to translate this intoxicating sensation through this collection. In many ways, Naviglio is seen as a representation of the designer’s personalities coming together as one; how unique dispositions and qualities lend themselves to one another.
People are searching for liberty of choice and a way to express themselves through their environment. As more people live in city centres, space becomes smaller and more emphasis is placed on the items that occupy their habitat. Their environment becomes an extension of who they are and what they are proud of. Naviglio has been designed to evolve with one’s needs, and its scale has been specifically tailored to consider the way people live today. The beauty of the collection may be found in the way each piece effortlessly fits into smaller spaces, with variety of materiality that can be selected to articulate the characteristics of its use or reflect the person into whose life it fits.
The aim was to create a collection that was a visual dialogue between structure and form; how shapes interact and may be brought together to create their own unique whole. The design process began by taking an assortment of simple organic forms and playing with their interactions.
Once the shapes that would form Naviglio we identified the challenge of transforming the vision into reality was faced. The largest obstacle was fabricating the shapes we’d identified while still maintaining the ergonomics of each piece. Fortunately, B&B’s superlative molding expertise enabled a successful balance of form to the collection.
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