Yes, it’s always exciting to see the finished prototype for the first time. The new sofa consists of a slim frame onto which the cush- ions are placed and leaned against. In the pictures, you can see the beautiful taper of the shell and the waffle-like texture of the cushions. The shell principle dates back to the 1960s. Back then, plastic shells were used as frames. I wanted a fabric-upholstered substructure featuring high-quality craftsman- ship and manufacturing. The sofa can be assembled from different modules, even forming a circu- lar arrangement. With modular designs, there’s always the chal- lenge that you don’t want to sit where two modules meet. Our sofa creates a seamless surface. You can barely tell where one module begins or ends. It was important to us to be able to create many varia- tions and configurations using just a few modules. And what exactly does this sofa feel like? We’ve chosen a very beautiful fabric, it’s cozy and plush. That’s exactly what’s popular right now. The seat depth is very generous, which creates a cozy atmosphere. The shallower the seat depth, the more—to put it bluntly—you feel like you’re sitting on a wait- ing room bench at a government office. And the greater the seating depth of the sofa is, the more likely you are to stretch out your legs, sit cross-legged, and make your- self comfortable. In the ’70s, sofas were pieces of furniture designed for socializing. When I was a child, we’d invite guests over and eat canapés on the sofa. Today, you cook for your guests and sit with them at the dining table. The sofa has become a piece of private furniture, a place of retreat. NOVELTIES “The sofa has become a personal piece of furniture, a place of retreat.“ It’s less of a place to entertain guests at home. Our new BW sofa is designed for this private retreat, but also for offices, hotels, lobbies, or even a spacious home. What generally makes an object “typically Aisslinger”? I try to design archetypes. For me, an archetype is a minimized, stripped-down object that still possesses a soul, a life of its own, and a personality. I don’t create anything purely decorative—that’s just not who I am. I make things that go back to the essence of the object, whether it’s a chair, a clock, or a sofa. In other words, I try to bring out what’s essential. That kind of typology you have in mind when you think of a sofa— one where nothing is excessive, yet the object’s soul hasn’t been lost. Applied to a sofa, that would be a platform where you feel com- fortable, that exudes a certain coz- iness, and that works for different generations. And how did the collaboration between you and BW come about? Over the past few years, I’ve worked with the JAB ANSTOETZ Group to develop carpets, fab- rics, an acoustic system, and even a sofa. Now BW has reached out again and asked if I’d be interested in a new joint project. And I was. There are few collaborations like this one that just keep working so smoothly time and time again. I get along very well with the whole team, and the owner, Claus Anstoetz, is a great guy, too. BESPOKE WORKS 13