As humans, we intrinsically find rounded forms calming – think river rocks, sand dunes, dumplings bobbing in soup. Coalesse, a Steelcase brand, presents the Jean Nouvel Seating Collection, pulling upon innate meanings of wholeness and simplicity. A furniture collection that employs biomimicry to create amorphous, rounded forms, it’s perfect for leaning back and taking your time. In a world that seems to be hurtling further and further from peace, the French architect and designer brings soft, generous form to the forefront, inviting conversation and relaxation.
Amorphous poufs and seating take shape, stones placed by a giant hand. These seamless pieces show a mastery of patternmaking, allowing the collection to maintain a super smooth finish while also remaining soft and comfortable. The color is ever important – dark charcoal, cheery sage, terra cotta, rich earth, and tones of sand round out this beautifully organic color palette, taking inspiration from nature to add a sense of peace to any interior.
Dynamic conversation pieces offer a certain amount of privacy if that’s what’s needed, as well as a sweet little spot to have a good conversation. Far enough apart, with a slight angle, to add some respectful distance between you and your seating partner. As new considerations continue to change how work looks in the modern era, one of these seating arrangements can offer multiple levels of seclusion, offering fully capable seating to match an equally dynamic workplace or residence.
“This collection sits at the intersection of artistry and form,” says Meghan Dean, General Manager, Design Brands and Partners at Steelcase. “Shapes seem irregular but they’re far from formless. It takes seating to the next level, making it supremely comfortable and highly functional at the same time.”
Quickly forming a talent for injecting originality into every project, Ateliers Jean Nouvel discards notions of style or ideology, instead focusing on a specific intersection of people, place, and time. This grounds his projects in emotion, transforming neighborhoods and minds through the built environment. “The key word in my work is elementary,” says Nouvel. “The elementary quality I seek has nothing to do with minimalism or brutalism: it involves ambiguity and complexity. The simpler an object looks, the more obvious or familiar, the harder it is to make, the more emotion it
offers and the better it stands the test of time.”
Leaning in to their belief that designers should observe, and ask a lot of follow up questions, Coalesse has continually designed creative responses to the inevitable evolution of work. Creating pieces to enhance focus, collaboration, or innovation when needed, they promote sustainable solutions that change design precedents globally, bringing new life to work.
To learn more about the Jean Nouvel Seating Collection from Coalesse, please visit coalesse.com.
Photography courtesy of Coalesse.
Read the full article here