FEATURED STORY
A smart package

When it came to a design for a new armchair that delights in any context, the Italian third-generation family business S-CAB sought a collaboration with a talented young designer. The company’s own product range was to be elevated to a new level, both in terms of circular design and with a view to fresh approaches. Thus, Italian industrial designer Alessandro Stabile, who was nominated for the Compasso d’Oro in 2022, created the “Brezza” armchair as a concept of outdoor seating that is more than a simple frame on which cushions are placed: “Products of this kind always seem provisional and not necessarily very inviting. From the beginning, I wanted to create an armchair in which the upholstery and the frame appear as an inseparable unit and the cushions are generous and very comfortable,” Stabile explains.

Regarding its compactness, “Brezza” is deliberately conceived as a kind of illusion, since all the components are easy to separate for the purposes of circular design. “‘Brezza’ is based on a powder-coated steel structure composed of tubes and plates. Once the cushions are in place, the frame recedes into the background in every respect – with the exception of the four legs, which give the object strength and a certain recognition value. The seat and backrest, as well as the two armrests, are connected. “This new way of ‘wrapping’ furniture makes it possible to position the upholstery by hooking it onto the frame and fixing it without zippers, Velcro, or buttons,” says Stabile, explaining the benefits of his design.

The “Brezza” armchair thus not only combines the impression of durability with a natural elegance, but is also particularly practical in its handling: Just one grip is enough to remove the upholstery and wash or change it to ensure the furniture’s longevity. “The concept of sustainability is the main aspect of Brezza and the reason for its final look,” says Stabile, adding, “We were able to avoid the use of adhesives entirely. Fitting is done within ten seconds, without zippers or buttons that can break.” The frames can also be stacked for shipping without padding, which saves a lot of space and therefore lowers the carbon footprint.

Aside from the technical components, innovation, ethics, and elegance are always at the forefront of Alessandro Stabile’s designs. For the designer, materiality and appearance must go hand in hand: “For the choice of fabrics, we preferred recycled yarn.” “Brezza” is thus not only an armchair designed to be sustainable through and through, but equally a design object without a shelf life, born for the outdoors and with ambitions to make our interiors homely, too, in a practical and sustainable way.