Does architecture alone define how we inhabit a space? It's becoming increasingly clear that it does not. The objects within a space—particularly furniture and other design pieces—not only serve functional purposes but actively shape the spatial and human experience. As schools, homes, and offices evolve to accommodate new ways of working, living, and socializing, furniture accompanies these transitions, prompting conversations that extend beyond functionality and engage the corporeal dimension implied in its use.
Several decades ago, British architects Alison and Peter Smithson were already exploring the relationship between the body, everyday experience, and space at an architectural scale. Since then, contemporary concepts of flexibility and comfort have expanded this framework to include other scales, such as furniture. These transformations have fostered the consolidation of modular seating systems whose flexibility and adaptability respond to diverse ways of living and relating to space. Emerging from this context are forward-thinking proposals, such as Beau's comprehensive range of seating and table units—an expansive modular seating system designed for multiple possibilities, with a significant emphasis on comfort and sensory appeal.
Building on the question, "What makes a sofa comfortable?" Boss Design, together with lead designer Aaron Clarkson, set out to create a sofa defined by comfort. Rather than designing conventional contract furniture that people sit on, they aimed to design something people sit into. From this perspective, comfort goes beyond visual cues. Although lines, proportions, and silhouette shape our sense of visual comfort, bodily perception completes the experience. It's only when someone sits into, makes an impression on its surface, and touches the fabric that comfort can be fully perceived. The sofa's generous proportions, combined with its inviting softness and tactile qualities, encourage full bodily engagement, creating a sense of freedom and openness that puts the user at ease.
This design approach and philosophy extend across the range of modular units, enabling designers to create expansive settings that encourage conversation and collaboration across diverse environments—from workplaces and hospitality spaces to retail and educational settings—while maintaining a consistently welcoming experience.
Beau's gentle, organic lines have been sculpted rather than engineered. -Mark Barrell, design director at Boss Design
Early Design Process: Testing Materials, Density, and Suspension Combinations
Aiming to design a piece that conforms to the sitter's shape and enhances both comfort and connection, the design team built an adjustable plywood jig to test multiple combinations of suspension and foam. As an experimental process, this involved cushions made from various materials, combined at different densities and thicknesses, and trialed repeatedly until the desired result was achieved. Body shapes and sizes were also fundamental throughout this progression, with careful attention to responses that reflect comfort. The final design combined a plywood frame, a serpentine sprung seat, a webbed back section, and a precisely formulated layering of foam.
Having resolved the function and technical capabilities, the focus shifted to aesthetics, aiming to convey the softness of the seat visually. As Aaron Clarkson noted, he wanted the piece to appear oversized and voluptuous, yet maintain an air of wholesome simplicity. In line with this approach, the vision centered on sculpting a clean, curvaceous form, prioritizing a design-led expression over an engineering-driven solution.
The design team carefully considered the transition between the back and seat to support the sculptural intent. While they initially experimented with pinch-stitch detailing, they ultimately opted for twin-needle seams that integrate more subtly into the form, reinforcing the rounded character that defines the sofa's identity. As the development of the piece progressed, it became clear that its potential extended beyond a standalone element, evolving into a modular range composed of various pieces, all built around Beau's proportions and character.
A lot of furniture is designed for us to sit 'on', but our ambition with Beau was always to create something people can relax 'into' – seating so soft and relaxed that it moulds to the form of the sitter. -Aaron Clarkson
Modular Furniture Designed to Foster Conversation, Collaboration, and Connection
As a system, the range encompasses one- and two-seat chaises, benches, end armchairs, end tables, and 120-degree corner units, offering a flexible set of components to shape space through various configurations. These can be assembled into independent islands, informal clusters, elongated snake-like arrangements, or open horseshoe shapes that define zones within larger environments. When positioned around a coffee table, the 120-degree corner units soften the rigidity of right angles, creating a sense of openness that encourages conversation and collaboration.
Beau facilitates face-to-face connection, while optional device chargers integrated into the table units support digital connectivity. This combination of personal interaction and technology addresses the evolving needs for comfort and user-focused design in contemporary environments, whether in workplaces, hospitality, or educational atmospheres. Complementing this, Beau's flowing, organic lines reinforce the design language throughout the Boss Design portfolio, contributing to cohesive and comfortable settings. Its visual consistency allows Beau to coexist with other pieces, creating a subtle backdrop that highlights designs like Remi or Amelia.
Traditionally manufactured in the UK using responsibly sourced plywood, steel, and foam from local suppliers, Beau is a cohesive seating system that appeals to the sensory experience and comfort. Designed to last—with seating units that can be easily disassembled for reupholstery—it offers the opportunity to create a relaxed and open atmosphere through a wide selection of modular units. In this way, comfort is not only central to the design process but also informs how these spaces are inhabited and experienced through furniture.
To learn more about Beau and Boss Design, visit their website.
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