High-flyer: B&B Italia

In the 20th century, the aeroplane was a symbol of the future. Cutting edge design and technology were wrapped up in its dynamic form, along with the glamour, escapist aspirations and romantic desires that have long been associated with flight.

Designer Piero Lissoni compares his latest B&B Italia outdoor furniture collection to an aeroplane. Featuring two- and three-seater sofas, an oversized armchair, a low small armchair and a dining chair, the 2021 Borea collection is super modern, lightweight, eclectic and essential.

We often feel lighter knowing that materials are sustainable. With Borea, B&B Italia has sourced recycled and recyclable materials, and all the furniture in the collection can be completely disassembled.

To achieve these qualities, the furniture employs metal bending processes typically used in the aeronautical sector. The aluminium frames are fluid and seamless, without joints or interruptions. And as well as being practically lightweight, the structures are easily packable and stackable.

While maintaining B&B Italia’s core DNA characterised by elegance and harmony, Borea also seeks to elevate its designs into the future: ‘It gives you the idea of this timeless furniture that the tradition of the 20th century has moved into the new century,’ says the designer.

Borea is an eco-design collection with exceptional design, comfort, durability and circularity features. It uses recycled and recyclable materials, which can be separated so that, at the end of its life cycle, depending on the material, each individual element can be recovered or disposed of properly. The circular economy thus becomes a sustainability paradigm – it is not an abstract philosophy, but a new concept for the design of industrial processes.

© Architonic