Seating system with soft, organic aesthetics

Every good industrial design product is born from the deep understanding and communion of purpose between a designer and a company. This is the case between Antonio Rodriguez and laCividina, from whose dialogue the new Apper seating system was born. This new series represents the sixth chapter of a collaboration that has solid roots founded on mutual trust, seriousness and the continuous search for perfection, values shared between the Spanish designer and the Friuli-based company. Rodriguez told Domus of his relationship with laCividina, and of an understanding that was at the basis of the birth of the new collection: "I know laCividina well, I fully recognise their dedication, seriousness and the qualitative excellence of their manufacturing. This excellence manifests itself above all in their ability to skilfully interpret our renders and technical drawings. The idea is one thing, but the realisation is another. Even when there are gaps or omissions in the technical details, their expertise is revealed in their ability to constantly enrich the product development process. Thanks to my concept and the very strong know-how in the upholstery world of laCividina, the Apper collection was born." Known for his ability to interpret and transform concepts into tangible forms, Antonio Rodriguez brings to light a unique interpretation of soft and organic aesthetics, through a collection with a bourgeois spirit, a taste reminiscent of the Parisian atmospheres of the early 20th century, capable of fusing forms with an organic inspiration with the most rigorous Art Deco hints. The challenge is to create a distinctive product, able to stand out in a panorama full of complements with rounded shapes. 

The designer explains his design method: "we wanted to work by subtraction, removing details without depriving the object of its soul. We wanted to find personality while working with super clean elements. Our aim was to create an object with a strong personality, without sacrificing the aesthetic simplicity and essentiality that characterise our work. The difficulty lay in finding the right balance between innovation and familiarity," says Antonio Rodriguez.

The new collection stands out for its ability to adapt to a wide range of contexts, from the home environment to public spaces such as hotels and clubs.Whether in a hotel lounge to chat and enjoy a short break, or in a living room at home to relax and watch TV, Apper is designed for different destinations and uses.This versatility is the result of careful design work that involved the laCividina design team and craftsmen in the search for innovative and functional solutions. "We wanted to create something unique, different, that had great personality, but at the same time met contemporary trends, that could adapt to different situations without losing its identity," Rodriguez continues. "For example, a very important element, on which we reasoned deeply is the armrest, the armrest does a lot at home, in the public for example it could be a detail that disturbs the conversation, it risks being a barrier at the communication level, often in lobbies and waiting rooms there are other complements around that you have to make talk together, while in a residential context the armrest is an important element, a source of support and that encourages relaxation. This is why we thought of two different versions, with and without armrests."