Hover craft

Michele De Lucchi and Stellar Works float a multi-layered and uplifting take on the sofa

-  CRISTINA KIRAN PIOTTI

‘An object’s worth is not just based on its function, but also on its intrinsic meaning and on the value it can impart on the surrounding environment. The Memphis movement emerged from this idea – that design is not solely about functionality but also witnessing the moment an object is designed.’ So says Italian designer and architect Michele De Lucchi, a key member of Ettore Sottsass’ creative collective, with the likes of Nathalie Du Pasquier, Martine Bedin, Matteo Thun and Andrea Branzi.

It’s an idea De Lucchi has continued to explore and it’s there in his latest design, a sofa he has tagged ‘Float’ – a debut collaboration with Asian design brand Stellar Works. The name, says De Lucchi, ‘gives the perception of something not firmly rooted to the ground, like your mind wandering when relaxing’. Yuichiro Hori, the Japanese founder and CEO of Stellar Works, knows that signing up De Lucchi was something of a coup: ‘I knew that, over the last few years, when asked to design furniture, Michele politely turned some brands down. This is why I never dared to propose any projects to him. One day, while having dinner in Shanghai, he suddenly showed me some drafts, proposing we work together on them. I felt incredibly honoured.’

Established in 2012 and devoted to Asian sensibilities and timeless handcraft, Shanghai-based Stellar Works operates under the creative direction of Neri & Hu. Its in-house production facilities ensure traditional craftsmanship throughout the manufacturing process.