Behind the Design
Modular Sofa
Designed to do More
It started with a question. What would a sofa designed by MOEBE look like?
It sounds simple enough, but there is actually a whole lot to think about. The core tenets of a MOEBE design - adaptability, sustainability and simplicity - are all things that are notoriously difficult to solve with bigger pieces of furniture.
Of course, we are not the first people to have the idea of making a sofa modular, but we wanted to push the boundaries of what modular design can do, and what a modular sofa can be. And to top it all off, it had to be beautiful. We knew we had to create something that could stand by itself, without needing to rely on its label as ‘flat-packed’, or ‘easy to assemble’ to be attractive.
In short, we wanted to create a sofa that people fall in love with because of how it looks, as well as how it is built.
"In short, we wanted to create a sofa that people fall in love with because of how it looks, as well as how it is built."
Versatile and flexible.
We designed the Modular Sofa to work in many different situations, and we thought a lot about how it could help facilitate a more modern, dynamic lifestyle. We see two main scenarios where flexibility can help us achieve this:
To start with, the modules can be added and changed over time, meaning that you can start with a single chair of pouf, and add to it later. Perhaps in a year, or perhaps in ten. You don’t need to start with a four-seater sofa, but you can slowly work up to it as your living situation changes and evolves.
Secondly, we wanted the modules to be adaptable in real-time, meaning that you can re-arrange and re-configure when needed. You want a comfortable sofa to watch TV, but perhaps you also want a more spread-out arrangement for when guests come over for coffee. With the Modular Sofa, you can simply break up the modules and move them around.
"It’s a system that you can build on over time, but you can also benefit from the flexibility from day one."
Design and construction.
As designers, of course we are interested in forms, shapes, and colours, but it’s also incredibly important to remember that a sofa needs to be durable, hard-wearing, and suitable for years of everyday use. The requirement we set ourselves to make it both robust and easy to assemble was perhaps the real challenge in the design process.
After hundreds of different approaches, we finally found a solution that ticked every box. The individual modules can be broken down into separate components, and we utilise a number of different techniques to secure them together, ensuring that they provide the durability required from a piece of furniture that can be heavily used.
Even if some of the details are hidden from view, you can see the constructional simplicity of any module when you turn them upside down. The construction is easy to understand and never gets in the way, which is what we're always aiming for.
"The construction is easy to understand and never gets in the way, which is what we’re always aiming for. "
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Magazine Shelving -
Key Ring -
Round Coffee Table -
Frame -
Rectangular Dining Table -
Tray -
Shelving System -
Expandable Bed -
Ceramic Pendant Wide
