studio bouroullec and vitra unveil 'abalon' family of seating

sitting in a circle

Parisian design duo Ronan and Erwan, brothers and founders of Studio Bouroullec, celebrate the launch of their Abalon family of seating for Vitra. Each piece is defined by its softly curving forms which draw from the ergonomics of not just a single person, but of people sitting together. Three years in the making, the newly completed collection takes inspiration from the social ‘sitting circle’ identified by architect and design theorist Christopher Alexander in his 1977 book, A Pattern Language, which addresses the ways in which architecture and furniture inform social protocols.

‘When people are sitting in a circle, it creates a natural focus for the ones inside it,’ explain the designers at Studio Bouroullec, ‘The second quality of the circle is that when people want to cross the room and avoid entering the circle, it is very easy to pass by.’

image © Florian Bohm

STUDIO BOUROULLEC DRAWS FROM THE ABALONE SHELL

The Abalon seating collection by Studio Bouroullec for Vitra takes its name from the Abalone shellfish, whose gently curving shell is recognized for its iridescent inner surface. The sofa itself is literally a shell by nature — a single rounded surface onto which the fabric is held by only two lines. ‘I have been drawing the outline of the Abalon and the lounge chair for a very long time,’ the designer continues. ‘If you look at them from a 45 degree angle, you can see a flat line and the curves of the sofa are not so far from a real Abalon.’

With this rounded shape, the chair is designed to be incredibly welcoming. Bouroullec says, ‘If people feel welcome, their comportments will be more relaxed and free.’

image © Philippe Thibault / Studio Bouroullec

LIGHTWEIGHT AND EASILY RECONFIGURABLE

The construction of Studio Bouroullec’s Abalon chair is also noteworthy — rather than being made from many different pieces, the entire chair is created from one single shape, or unit. This method of light manufacturing is not only cost-effective and time-efficient, but it is also extremely durable and lightweight — as free as its owners to move anywhere in the room. The Abalon seating collection combines the feeling of craftsmanship with the best industry practices, creating a piece of furniture that is both welcoming and incredibly comfortable.

Meanwhile, the choice of textile and colors is incredibly simple — the sofa is available in just a single textile and eight different colors. This allows for its soft lines and curving form to be understood entirely at a glance. The designer notes: ‘People used to spend many months deciding what to acquire, but this world has changed. And this sofa is trying to be more direct and simple.’

image © Philippe Thibault / Studio Bouroullec

‘I am obsessed with doing surfaces that can hold the head because it really changes everything in terms of postures and behaviours.’ the designer comments. ‘Sometimes I call it a conversation sofa, because of the curves it is creating, you can have someone on one side and someone on the other side, they can easily find a kind of eye contact. And holding the head allows to do many things: first, it is a resting position and when you hold your head, you can really feel protected inside the shelter.’