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Sarto's Collection
By : La Firme
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 16th edition
Discipline : Product
Categories : Industrial Design / Furniture - Residential : Platinum Winner
Salon is the first piece in Sarto, a series of functional, mutable seating. The concept was first
developed a few years ago, at a time when the studio had neither the time, the resources nor
the right partners to produce it.
The series takes its name from the source that inspired modernist architect Mies Van der Roe’s
famous dictum that “less is more.” The phrase comes from the 1855 poem “Andrea De Sarto
“by Robert Browning. It succinctly describes the thinking behind the series.
Sarto’s objective is to reduce costs and materials, simplify production and maximize
customizability without sacrificing taste, quality, or comfort.
The laser-cut aluminum base reduces manual labour in production and is fully recyclable. By
setting smaller components like leg pieces within the area of the seat piece for cutting, the
process reduces material waste and makes for a lighter finished piece. The interlocking pieces
of the base are welded from the top of the seat, through laser-cut slits. This means there are no
welds visible on the finished piece.
Minimizing seating foam makes Sarto light, both visually and materially. It also means less
upholstery fabric is needed, lowering costs without sacrificing quality. And like it can be easily
reupholstered, Sarto can be reordered, changed, or customized in a variety of ways, from
armrests to side table annexes.
The Sarto family has a few members. Banc is a sleek, basic commercial bench that can be
customized with a side table in various heights. Available in sizes that seat from 2 to 6 Salon, is
a minimalistic sofa that is fully customizable, from optional armrests to colour of frame and
fabric print. The six-seater maintains Salon’s streamlined profile and belies a feat of
engineering: at 38” deep and 10’ long, sitting on four legs, it is remarkably. Andrea is an
anomaly, not a sofa bed, but a bed-sofa. Deeper than most contemporary couches, it is
transformable into a double-size bed with the removal of its middle section.
In terms of production, the studio plans manufacture a high-end Sarto line, and to partner with
a manufacturer in the Far East for a line more accessible to a broader clientele. This will be the
first time the studio has issued a mass-produced edition.
Collaboration
