THE EVOLUTION OF AN ICON
GARDEN DESIGN
FROM THE OSAKA EXPO TO THE OUTDOORS:
THE EVOLUTION OF AN ICON
laCividina writes a new chapter in its history and that of Osaka- the famous sofa designed by Pierre Paulin- and does so with the launch of the Outdoor version that also marks the Friuli-based company’ s debut in outdoor furniture.
This version carefully preserves the legacy of the original project- modularity, versatility and a wrap-around design that celebrates conviviality- as well as that of the 2013 re-edition, sublimating its distinctive features and skilfully reinterpreting them to suit outdoor spaces.
Fulvio Bulfoni, President of laCividina, states:‘ The launch of Osaka Outdoor represents a historic moment for us, our first step into outdoor furniture. We have always been committed to combining tradition and innovation, and this new venture allows us to take our vision of design beyond indoor spaces, offering solutions that combine aesthetics, comfort and functionality in an outdoor context.
The Osaka is one of our iconic products, an example of design that stands the test of time and fashion. It was a great responsibility for us, but we took up the challenge with enthusiasm. With this reinterpretation, we wanted to keep Pierre Paulin’ s original spirit intact, adapting it with state-of-the-art materials and technologies to meet the needs of outdoor environments. It is certainly an ambitious project but one that encapsulates the essence of our approach: to create beautiful, functional objects made with the craftsmanship that distinguishes us. We are enthusiastic and always want to project our design towards new horizons’. In 1967, legendary designer Pierre
Paulin revolutionised the concept of seating by developing an innovative modular system for the 1970 Osaka World Expo. This sofa represented a break with the conventions of the time and the rationalism that permeated the world of design: its organic, fluid forms, modular configuration and the absence of rigid elements redefined the very idea of comfort, adapting perfectly to the spaces and needs of the user of the time.
The sinuous sofa is characterised by only three elements and is held together by a special steel structure, which acts as a central“ backbone” and allows the desired curvatures to be realised. In order to accommodate these, Paulin’ s attention was immediately focused on the stretch fabric, which should perfectly follow the silhouette of the entire seat, thus creating an elastic surface free of the slightest ripple.
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