OVO scores with its simplicity and craftsmanship

Foster + Partners has launched a new range of chairs to complement its existing OVO furniture collection for Benchmark. Comprising an armchair, a stackable armless version and a lounge seat, the soft, tactile forms of these chairs match the overall aesthetic of the collection, marrying ergonomics with a clarity of form.

The OVO chairs suit a variety of settings from office and commercial to domestic uses, says the company.

Mike Holland, Head of Industrial Design at Foster + Partners, says: “The OVO collection is a celebration of craftsmanship and materiality, a tactile range of furniture that is characterised by the simplicity of form. From the exceptionally flexible stacking chair to the ease and comfort of the lounge seat, every piece has been meticulously designed and crafted to fit within the overall OVO aesthetic that serves as a compelling invitation to touch.”

The design of the stackable version arises from a demand for flexible furniture that can be easily stored away after use. This light, armless version offers a seat for a range of uses such as meeting rooms, lecture halls and other multipurpose spaces. On the armchair, the tops of the armrests have a soft, pillowed finish and softened edges that widen to form the backrest. These armrests have been widened to form a support for a cup or a laptop on the lounge chair, with a deeper, more spacious seat, making it suitable for office lobbies, breakout spaces or airline lounges. 

The seat is designed in a modular fashion so that it can be replaced, with either a solid timber or upholstered version available as standard.

Mowli’s Friends ... inspired by Jungle Book.

Circu brings animal magic to kids’ bedrooms

Circu, a brand of children’s luxury furniture, has launched the Animals Rugs Collection, its second rugs series for this year.

The collection, comprising 21 different rugs with different shapes and patterns, is inspired by the beauty of nature and the serenity and peace animals can bring to our lives, says a spokesman for the leading Portuguese brand.

“Circu designed this collection having in mind your future designs projects that seek that key piece to complete the look,” a spokesman says, adding that the selection offers little ones the opportunity to learn about the animal planet and play at the same time. 

Among the animals that form the various themes of the rugs are turtles, elephants, giraffe, whales and rhinos.  Circu has also drawn inspiration from children’s favourite movies such as Ice Age and the Jungle Book, and games such as Mr Potato Head.

The company also caters to children who love to think out of the box with its Upside Down Rug.

The spokesman says the rugs are handcrafted and hand-tailored in Portugal with the finest materials.

Tectra 2 ... its individual plates combine like pieces of a puzzle.

Okha tables a tectonic shift

OKHA, a leading South Africa-based interior design studio, has launched Tectra 2, a new version of its original Tectra coffee tables.

All the designs in the Tectra family are composed of “tectonic” plates that interlock and merge as one organic form. The elements can be separated and drift apart as they would in nature. The original Tectra has three ‘tectonic plates’ whereas Tectra 2 has two.

Okha’s design is inspired by a contemporary aesthetic and timeless classicism, with a deep respect for natural materials and traditional craftsmanship. 

“Tectra explores the concept that everything – from materials and ideas to anatomic elements – are in a perpetual state of flux and that change is the only constant,” says Adam Court, Okha’s Creative Director. “What often appears as solid, immoveable and static is not; marble perfectly captures this paradox, a material that is forged under great pressure and micro-measure movement over millennia.”

This concept is expressed by Tectra 2 and its individual plates which combine like pieces of a puzzle, forming a narrative greater than its individual parts. Also, Okha has used a different marble – Calacatta Oyster leathered in producing the new version – selected by Court for its fluid appearance and dramatically contrasting veining which appears as a seismic motion preserved in stone, says Okha.