B & B ITALIA BEND SOFA DESIGN BY PATRICIA URQUIOLA
B & B ITALIA BEND SOFA DESIGN BY PATRICIA URQUIOLA
Patricia Urquiola has designed a surprising series
of seats that transforms the tradition concept of the sofa. She has entitled
the product Bend – Sofa due to its curvaceous albeit monolithic form. It gives
the appearance of being manually moulded from a supple material . In practice,
it issues from a study of 3- D models and digital research. Bend sofa
effectively conveys the idea of motion by alternating full and empty spaces.
Contrasting seams add to the intrinsic design on the surface. The backrest is
irregulary shaped, but without compromising comfort. Curved modules – assembled
starting with the seats, ottoman and corner elements – form a sofa that breaks
out of the usual visual schemes and differentiates from other contemporary
pieces on account of its calculated eccentricity. Bend – sofa offers flexible
composition solution, including small linear versions, corner solutions or a
spectacular ( non necessarily domestic) version that can fill a space with
doubles sided seating arrangements, becoming the absolute centre of attention
with its iconic presence.
B
B & B ITALIA DESIGN BY RENZO PIANO & RICHARD ROGERS
B & B ITALIA
B&B Italia has been an international leader in the field of
contemporary furnishings since 1966. Since then, its collection has
progressively acquired new products that are acknowledged and recognised
worldwide, to fill the ranks alongside evergreen products like Serie Up,
Le Bambole and Diesis, now seen as icons of design history. Through its
product range, B&B Italia has shown that it can offer a meaningful
contribution to the culture of design by perceiving and anticipating trends
and responding to changing tastes and living needs.
Antonio Citterio, Patricia Urquiola, Naoto Fukasawa, Gaetano Pesce,
Studio Kairos, Paolo Piva, Mario Bellini, Jeffrey Bernett, Zaha Hadid and
many others are the winning team that, along with the company’s internal
Research and Development Centre, has contributed to the international
success of B&B Italia.
The vocation to innovation and technological experimentation in
addition to aesthetics research, are the strenghts and strategic elements
for the company’s development policy. In fact, B&B Italia was the
first company in the world to perfect the technique of cold polyurethane
foam mouldings, which radically changed the way upholstered furnishings
were built.
These strategic elements has brought about many awards both in
Italy and abroad,
among them four “Compasso d’Oro” awards.
B & B ITALIA DESIGN BY RENZO PIANO & RICHARD ROGERS
PATRICIA URQUIOLA,
ITALY 1961
B
Patricia Urquiola was born in Oviedo (Spain) and now lives and
works in Milan. She attended the faculty of architecture of Madrid Polytechnic
were she graduated in 1989 having done a thesis with Achille Castiglioni. From
1990 to 1992 she was assistant lecturer on the courses held by Achille
Castiglioni and Eugenio Bettinelli both at Milan Polytechnic and E.N.S.C.I. in
Paris. Between 1990 and 1996 she worked for the new product development office
of De Padova and with Vico Magistretti signed the products: “Flower”, “Loom
sofa”, “Chaise” and “Chaise Longue”.
From 1993 to 1996 she had an associate practice with architects de Renzio and Ramerino and was engaged in architectural design, showrooms, restaurants and franchising (Maska/Italy, Tomorrowland Stores/Japan, Des Pres/France). In 1996 she became head of the Lissoni Associati design group, working for Alessi, Antares-Flos, Artelano, Boffi, Cappellini, Cassina, Kartell, and others. At the same time, on her own, she designed for B&B, Bosa, De Vecchi too, Fasem, Kartell, Liv’it, Mdf, Molteni & C., Moroso and Tronconi and designed stands and showroom for Knoll, Moroso, Sag 80, and Somma.
Her products were selected for the Italian Design 2001 exhibition and for Intenational Design Yearbook 1999 and 2001. In 2001 she was chair of the jury for the 19th CDIM Design Award and was lecturer in the Domus Academy. She is currently conducting her professional activity in her own studio in Milan in the field of design, exhibitions, art direction, and architecture.
From 1993 to 1996 she had an associate practice with architects de Renzio and Ramerino and was engaged in architectural design, showrooms, restaurants and franchising (Maska/Italy, Tomorrowland Stores/Japan, Des Pres/France). In 1996 she became head of the Lissoni Associati design group, working for Alessi, Antares-Flos, Artelano, Boffi, Cappellini, Cassina, Kartell, and others. At the same time, on her own, she designed for B&B, Bosa, De Vecchi too, Fasem, Kartell, Liv’it, Mdf, Molteni & C., Moroso and Tronconi and designed stands and showroom for Knoll, Moroso, Sag 80, and Somma.
Her products were selected for the Italian Design 2001 exhibition and for Intenational Design Yearbook 1999 and 2001. In 2001 she was chair of the jury for the 19th CDIM Design Award and was lecturer in the Domus Academy. She is currently conducting her professional activity in her own studio in Milan in the field of design, exhibitions, art direction, and architecture.
