Island hopping: B&B Italia

Organic shapes bring biophilic benefits to living space, such as harmony and wellbeing. But when it comes to designing modern interiors, function, comfort and flexibility must also be a priority. B&B Italia’s latest sofa system, Noonu, designed by architect Antonio Citterio, combines organic shapes with all of the above; bringing the progressive poetic vision of Citterio together with the elegance and quality of the historic Italian design brand.

Citterio named the Noonu system after an island in the Maldives. Its organic shape, generously sized upholstery and modular inspiration draw from the concept of an archipelago. While the concept feels romantic, it is also grounded in functionality. As an ‘island,’ it forms a functional ‘base’ or ‘anchor’ within an interior – offering plenty of the practical modern attributes necessary for successful design today, such as modularity, flexibility, freedom and total comfort for relaxation.

While today we are familiar with the principles of biophilic design, Citterio was an early adopter of the language of nature into his design vocabulary: ‘The theme of islands started back in the mid-‘80s,’ says architect Citterio, ‘when we invented a selection of new types with the Sity line. We started referring to sofas as ‘peninsulas’ and ‘islands’, but that sort of terminology was, at the time, somewhat unusual. Nowadays, they’re part of our everyday vocabulary.’

Noonu draws from the formation of an archipelago, which is modular in nature. Modularity is key to contemporary interiors, especially when designing for large areas or spaces that may be adapted or extended in the future. An evolution and completion of Citterio’s Atoll collection designed for B&B Italia in 2018, the Noonu allows interior designers to build up the system to meet their requirements. It works in harmony with B&B Italia’s previous collections to form a fully-fledged archipelago of options – all while maintaining its unique organic character.

The Noonu’s system of upholstery features large sizes that are designed to be physically relaxing, but also on the eye. Designed as ‘natural chaise lounges’, the seats are deep, with a single large seat cushion that guarantees extreme comfort, inviting and relaxing whilst also characterising the overall aesthetic with its soft curves. The supporting aluminium structure disappears from view, so the form appears to float like an island, suspended in mid-air.

The system is unique because it combines these qualities of organic style and comfort with impressive flexibility. The tilted back is designed to accommodate cushions, which can be distributed according to the user’s wishes. The support element can be arranged in any manner of positions: a roller cushion bound by sophisticated webbing to a die-cast aluminium frame, which sits beneath the seat cushion. This allows it to be used freely as a terminal armrest element or as a headrest, to read or to work, placed between the seats or removed entirely, depending on requirements.

Citterio describes how the design evolved: ‘Atoll and Noonu stemmed from a single idea, namely a cylinder that could be used as an armrest and cushions distributed freely over the sofa. What’s new in Noonu is the apparently suspended seating, which extends all the way to the floor, and the new types of elements that we have defined as ‘piano’ and ‘sail’ elements, lending a certain identity and richness to the design.’

The Noonu sofa system shows how Citterio’s pioneering intuitive design has been transformed into an organic vision for living space. The system evokes freedom and generosity for users and designers alike. Though visually it appears to float weightlessly, it provides a steady anchor in an interior space for a dynamic design to cast off and explore new territory.

© Architonic