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Gala Is a Futuristic Seating System by Cristina Celestino for Saba

03.04.21 | By
Gala Is a Futuristic Seating System by Cristina Celestino for Saba

Designer Cristina Celestino is bringing new definitions for the sofa with her latest design, the Gala seating system for Italian design brand Saba. With a subtle nod to the retro-future aesthetics of sofas in the ‘70s, Gala explores the flexibility and fluidity of the upholstered object and investigates it as a place, not just a functional product.

The seating collection’s distinguishing feature is its geometric backbone, a vertical element with curves to accommodate seaters in the front and back. While the word “gala” is associated with the concept of elegance and sophistication, in Italian it also means ornament or decoration. In this case, the decoration – the rippled backrest – is the structure of the upholstery itself. Gala is also one of the planets in the Star Wars franchise, and thus is an indirect tribute to the world of stars as well as the optimism and avant-garde that characterized that era.

Gala is a physical representation of Celestino’s personal design ethos. It takes inspiration from nature and architecture, as seen by the sofa’s soft yet defined geometries, and fuses tradition and innovation within the same object. The sculptural and configurable nature of the seating system encourages us to reimagine interior spaces, from residential to hospitality contexts.

Lifestyle photos by Mattia Balsamini, still life photos by Claudio Rocci.

As the Senior Contributing Editor, Vy Yang is obsessed with discovering ways to live well + with intention through design. She's probably sharing what she finds over on Instagram stories. You can also find her at vytranyang.com.