Italy’s main commercial center, Milan, nestles at the foot of the Alps, the soaring mountains that have captured the imagination of Europeans for millenia. For the Roman Empire, this snow capped barrier was an obstacle that needed to be overcome in its bid to conquer the rest of the continent. For Austrian composer Gustav Mahler, the dramatic landscape—peaks and valleys—represented the extreme highs and lows of creative endeavor. For German philosopher Fredrich Nietzsche, wandering through these settings was where and when one truly finds wisdom.
For Swiss-born designer Yves Béhar—founder of award-winning San Francisco and Lisbon-based practice Fuseproject—this context forms the basis of many childhood memories.
In fundamentally reimagining a ‘living landscape’ like Vernor Panton and Pierre Paulin did in the late 20th Century, he developed the modular Peaks seating system for ever inventive brand Moooi. Composed of interchangeable, kit of parts extruded equilateral triangles, the fresh solution distills the formal resolution of Alpine peaks and valleys. The sloped shape lends itself well to the ergonomics of leaning back yet, when combined, can also become a solid plane.
Launched during the Dutch furniture brand’s 25th anniversary showcase at Milan Design Week (April 20 to 26), the design prioritizes quick adaptability; more conducive to the changing conditions of domestic interiors. In an age of virtual burnout, the physically and socially engaging conversation pit typology has regained popularity.
“I feel that living room furniture is forcing us into very specific formal interactions and misses adaptability and wonder,” Béhar says. “Peaks was a personal experiment in my home to find a central piece of furniture that immediately induces a sense of “play” for adults and kids combined. Soon after Peaks was installed, laughter and closeness made my living room the center of the house again and again.”
The components are produced using dual density foam which ensures comfort but also structural integrity. Concealed zippers and fabric hinges keep the system organized yet easy for an individual to reconfigure. The proposition transitions living room furniture from its static, interactively limited, state into a one that can more fluidly facilitate solitary and communal use.
To learn more and shop the release, visit moooi.com.
Photography courtesy of Moooi.
