Space Furniture
Whether it’s the softness and innovation of Edra or the architectural precision of B&B Italia, Space’s collection of outdoor furniture brings both atmosphere and depth to Australasian alfresco settings.
It was 1975 and designers Afra and Tobia Scarpa were focused on a particular rattan found deep in the forests of the Philippines. Fascinated by the country’s traditional crafts and how the material could shape furniture and housing, the designers based themselves locally to study its potential. For B&B Italia, this cross-cultural immersion would be the starting point for the Basilan 1 Series – the brand’s first outdoor collection.
A leading manufacturer of modern Italian furniture in the latter part of the 20th century, B&B Italia has set itself apart as a brand built on an industrial model, focused on high-tech production, new materials and the reimagination of tradition. The company’s early work with rattan would ultimately shape the 2007 Canasta series by Patricia Urquiola, the official launch of the B&B Italia Outdoor collection.
What followed was a dive into B&B Italia’s most popular designs and the selection of pieces that would complement the growing collection. Classics like Le Bambole by Mario Bellini, Husk by Patricia Urquiola and Tobi-Ishi by Barber Osgerby were reengineered for the outdoors, and joined a swathe of new designs in stone, aluminium, leather and sculpted wood. These included the Ayana collection by Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa and the Pablo chair by Belgian architect Vincent Van Duysen.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the forms and typologies of furniture pieces related to Latin American cultures and architects like Luis Barragán.”
At the launch of the collection, Van Duysen described Pablo as a “reinterpretation of a traditional Spanish armchair. I’ve always been fascinated by the forms and typologies of furniture pieces related to Latin American cultures and architects like Luis Barragán… so I wanted to give my own vision on this classic chair.”
Another Italian brand blurring the boundary between inside and out is Edra, which launched its latest vision for the outdoors, the Every Stone upholstery collection, at Milan Design Week this year. The result of ongoing research into material innovation, the project was led by Edra’s vice-president, Monica Mazzei.
“For us, materials have always been an essential part of every project, so research into external materials is fundamental,” says Mazzei, whose dedication to creating new yarns and one-of-a-kind fabrics defines each of the esteemed Italian maker’s collections.
“This year, we found inspiration in the natural world. Nature has inspired us since 1990, with the Flower Collection. It is our way of looking at the beauty which is often there before our eyes. Nature is an infinite source of inspiration.” For the new collection, particular inspiration was drawn from precious stones. Colour is infused directly into the yarns, ensuring their brilliance over time, and resulting in hues like Alpine Green and dark Nero Marquinia, veined with silver, Carrara Statuary White and the warm golden Royal Yellow. The richly textured palette transforms the sculpted lines and softness of sofas including On the Rocks, Sherazade and Standard, announcing – in typical Edra style – a bold new direction for lounging outdoors.
B&B Italia Outdoor and Edra are available exclusively from Space Furniture in Australia, Singapore and Malaysia.
