To the power of four: MINOTTI

Furniture brands traditionally present their latest products to great fanfare, trumpeting their innovative qualities. Not Minotti, which takes a calmer, more measured approach. Committed to gradual change rather than the pursuit of novelty for its own sake, its central philosophy is ‘innovation in the spirit of continuity’.

The leading Italian design brand has forged a reputation for establishing its own design language – a timeless aesthetic that transcends fast-moving trends – as well as for creating products of the highest quality. Minotti’s twin tenets are functionality and comfort – both being on an equal footing.

Minotti has created a series of videos that convey this message – Endless Moments of Pleasure. So far, these focus on four expansive Minotti seating systems depicted in an impressionistic, atmospheric style – West, Lawrence and Freeman, designed by Minotti’s art director, Rodolfo Dordoni, and Daniels, created by French designer Christophe Delcourt, who has collaborated with the brand since 2017. A variety of slow-moving camera angles – aerial shots showing the seating in its entirety, close-ups, glimpses through gaps – reveal different facets of the designs as well as the refined craftsmanship and upholstery of these good-looking, highly functional designs.

However, the videos aren’t simply portraits of seating systems: people play a key role in them, too, appropriately since an in-depth knowledge of social needs is the starting point for Minotti’s designs. Its seating systems are based on rigorous research into human requirements, ergonomics and flexibility in order to facilitate a multitude of activities. Minotti’s seating systems are indivisible from the human connections formed with them.

West, Lawrence, Freeman and Daniels are partly characterised in the videos by different social gatherings. West is presented in a relaxed family setting, its flexibility and ergonomics making it suitable for a variety of activities. West can be reconfigured in many ways, thanks to such elements as its hexagonal or pentagonal chaise longues. It also optimises comfort with its saddle-hide backrest ergonomically shaped to give strong support to the rear cushion.

The video about West presents family scenarios, emphasising its flexibility. A mother reads bedside stories to her children, a father figures out a tangram puzzle with his son. And there is plenty of room on West for parents and kids alike to peel off and do their own thing.

Lawrence is seen in the more romantic context of a creative couple – equally at ease working separately on their laptops or sketching. This bold, flexible design, adaptable to different tasks, comprises a cluster of generously sized yet streamlined elements that can be arranged in a multitude of ways. Its sartorial qualities, evoked by precise stitching, hint at formality and discipline.

This versatile seating system also lends itself well to informal, leisure-related activities. It comes in two versions, one with a high armrest, the other with a low one. The design with a high armrest is particularly conducive to chilling out on after a working day. Thinner and more solid than the lower armrest, it’s the perfect place to rest cushions on, giving extra comfort when lying on the sofa. At the end of the day, the couple in the movie reunite, catch up on what they’ve achieved, then settle down to watch a movie together.

Geometric yet comfortable, Freeman unites two moods in one highly flexible seating system. It offers both soft, smooth contours and enveloping forms that encourage pure relaxation as well as more formal, linear elements, defined and subtly highlighted by elegant top-stitching.

As such, Freeman adapts both to a desire for privacy and to moments of grown-up conviviality. In the accompanying Freeman movie, friends are seen socialising, having chosen a comfortable spot to spread out in. Solid armrests provide practical surfaces to rest drinks or coffee cups on.

Dordoni speaks discursively about the more central role sofas play in homes today, placing this in historical context by invoking the modernity of postwar American lifestyles: ‘Sofas were an important part of casual, American life,’ he says. ‘But they were still relatively formal – used when guests came for tea. Now they’re multifunctional. Families gather on them, as they do in kitchens. People spend more time on them. Thanks to wireless technology, people can multi-task on sofas.’ Minotti’s seating systems are hubs where people can eat, sleep and lounge on their chaises longues, he adds. ‘With our sofas, people are always at the centre of this experience.’

With their cushions and backrests of varying depths and heights, the seating systems provide the flexibility needed for our fluid lifestyles. Such versatility also appeals to architects and designers requiring seating adaptable to many contexts. Dordoni sees West, Freeman and Lawrence as interrelated; any differences between them are nuanced in line with Minotti’s philosophy of a product range that evolves gradually, subtly. ‘The sofas have similar roots – they’re brothers. It’s the details that make them different – the varying softness of a seat, say, or the tailoring used in the upholstery.’

Appropriately, the Daniels seating system by Christophe Delcourt is portrayed in Minotti’s movie as appealing to a younger demographic. After all, its strength is its porosity, its connection with other furniture around it, rendering the piece highly suitable for open-plan interiors. In the video, friends hang out and freely mingle at a mellow soirée, accentuating Daniels’ youthful, informal, protean quality. Its armrests can detach to provide informal pouffes. It lends itself to countless configurations.

‘Daniels’ flexibility is reflected in its mix of curves and straight lines,’ says Delcourt. ‘The sofa adapts to different activities – it can be enjoyed by an individual or provide a social setting. It’s a modular design that can easily be extended, for example with Minotti’s curved Amber table incorporating shelves. Daniels isn’t a solid, static piece – you can change it, move it to different parts of your home. It can evolve in terms of its uses throughout the day.’

The four seating systems reflect Minotti’s belief that its furniture forms part of cohesive collections that harmonise with each other, rather than being individual products demanding undue attention. Its 90-second movies are snapshots of our gradually changing lifestyles. They are Minotti’s way of subliminally communicating its values in a way that is arguably more persuasive than showy product launches.

© Architonic