Offecct Introduces Sofa Sou by Teruhiro Yanagihara
Teruhiro Yanagihara’s sofa Sou, designed for Offecct Sweden, is constructed in different layers to make it possible to freely create different shapes and functions for public environments.
Teruhiro Yanagihara has a background in spatial design and architecture and always thinks about rooms and surfaces, rather than individual objects. As in his previous collection for Offecct, Osaka, the new Sou sofa is based on a spatial perspective where the furniture works as a flexible jigsaw puzzle.
“My idea was to start with the sofa’s most basic parts and let the different shapes and functions overlap in layers.The seat is a little higher, so it goes particularly well in restaurants and waiting rooms, for example, It’s about how the sofa is designed, but also the fact that it can have different uses and expressions depending on how you choose to combine the different layers. Since the seat and backrest are separated, you can choose different colours of fabric or different finishes on the table part, for instance”
– Teruhiro Yanagihara
The image that Teruhiro Yanagihara had in mind during the process was a mille-feuille, a French pastry of many layers which can be varied in different ways. The name ‘Sou’ comes from the Japanese ‘chisou’ which means ‘stratum’, with the prefix ‘chi’ (base) and the suffix ‘sou’ (layer). He also em-phasizes the similarity between Japanese and Scandinavian design tra-dition when it comes to reducing rather than adding to the product. Sou, with its simple shape, is given a timeless and easy-to-place expression, while also being a sustainable design choice with lower consumption of resources and materials.
“It’s about how the sofa is designed, but also the fact that it can have different uses and expressions depending on how you choose to combine the different layers. Since the seat and backrest are separated, you can choose different colours of fabric or different finishes on the table part, for instance”
Teruhiro Yanagihara
Teruhiro Yanagihara emphasizes the similarity between Japanese and Scandinavian design tradition when it comes to reducing rather than adding to the product. Sou, with its simple shape, is given a timeless and easy-to-place expression, while also being a sustainable design choice with lower consumption of resources and materials
About Offecct Offecct is a Scandinavian furniture design company that develops unique furniture for inspiring meeting places in the home, office and public space. Together with selected architects and designers we offer innovative design on the planet’s terms with focus on people, architecture, high quality and sustainability.
About Flokk Flokk is the market leader in the design, development and production of workplace furniture in Europe. Flokk is the proud owner of product brands HÅG, RBM, RH, BMA, Giroflex, Malmstolen, Offecct, Profim and 9to5 Seating. About 2500 employees work together to realize the vision of the company: Inspire great work.