Biboni: Furniture Design Between Innovation and Heritage

A New Name is Born in the Design World: “Biboni”

When the duo Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee, founders of the architectural office Johnston Marklee, decided to embark on designing a furniture collection in collaboration with Knoll, choosing a name was far from a random step.
Through an inventive linguistic fusion of the words “Bibendum” and “Macaroni”, a name with a unique character was born: “Biboni”.
This name embodies a blend of playfulness and fluidity on one hand, and design sophistication on the other.

Design: Between Curvature and Embrace

The Biboni collection consists of various sofas, including two-, three-, and four-seater models, in addition to corner configurations and a comfortable chaise longue option.
All pieces feature curved lines that embrace the body and provide a sense of enclosure, while the structure appears to float lightly, creating a visual balance between solidity and softness.

The Philosophy of Form and Function

Architect Sharon Johnston describes the collection as having “fullness that offers warmth and spontaneity without losing precision and purity.”
It combines playfulness and fluidity in its plump appearance with the classic elegance inspired by the formal, timeless Chesterfield sofa.
This deliberate contrast between delicacy and rigidity is what gives the collection its distinctive identity.

Drawing Inspiration from the Past to Shape a Contemporary Vision

During the project’s development stages, architects Sharon Johnston and Mark Lee relied on a rich inspiration board featuring a collection of classic designs that marked milestones in the history of modern furniture.
The list included Eileen Gray’s Bibendum chair, iconic seventies sofas such as Soriana by Afra and Tobia Scarpa, and Mario Bellini’s “Camaleonda”, alongside Pierre Paulin’s ABCD.
Each piece carried the spirit of its era and contributed to building a visual memory that laid the foundation for new innovation.

The Michelin Man as an Unexpected Source of Inspiration

The inspirations were not limited to design works alone; the Michelin Man (Bibendum), the famous advertising icon, was also part of this visual journey.
Mark Lee says: “We were inspired by his curves and undulations, even his elbows. We felt a harmony between him and designs like Venturi Scott Brown’s Grandma sofa, with its distinctly American proportions. We asked ourselves: what can we extract from all these models to create something that reflects contemporary living?”

A Dialogue Between Eras

This approach shows that the Biboni design was not an attempt to reproduce the past, but to reinterpret it in a modern context.
Classical references were not constraints, but tools to understand the relationship between memory and experimentation, nostalgia and renewal ,  essential elements in the philosophy of contemporary design.

From Concept to Form: A Sofa with an Architectural Breath

The process of research and experimentation resulted in a modern sofa with a sculptural character, composed of curved modules that harmonize to create a balanced design combining elegance and formality on one hand, and flexibility and simplicity on the other.
The result appears as an artwork that fills the space without overwhelming it, giving it a strong visual presence while retaining its practical nature.

Design as an Extension of Architecture

The Biboni collection represents the architects Johnston and Lee’s first commercial venture into furniture, approached with an architect’s mindset rather than that of an industrial designer.
Each piece in the collection was conceived as a building would be: through studying mass, proportions, and its relationship to the surrounding space.
Sharon Johnston states:
“Every piece of Biboni was carefully considered in terms of its relation to the space it occupies.”

Furniture as a Means to Understand Space

Johnston believes that designing furniture is not a separate step from architecture, but part of the process of thinking about space itself.
As she explains:
“Whenever we design a space, we begin by drawing the furniture from the start, because we understand the room through the scale of the people within it. We move from the room to the chair, and from the chair back to the room.”
This interplay between human scale and spatial design makes furniture, in the office’s philosophy, a tool to embody the relationship between people and place, rather than merely a functional element within it.

Curves and Space: The Philosophy of Design

In their architectural work, curves and voids are considered essential elements in defining a building, just as structural components are.
The contrast between empty space and the fullness of the Biboni sofa’s edges reflects this philosophy when dealing with larger spaces, linking aesthetics and functionality at the level of each module.

Sculpting Form to Achieve Balance

Mark Lee emphasizes:

“We spent a long time sculpting the form to achieve a precise balance ,  neither slack nor rigid. The double-curve design was a key element to embrace the body without appearing overly contrived.”
This attention to detail reflects an architectural awareness of human scale, making the furniture more than just a decorative object, but a complete sensory experience.

Comfort Blended with Craftsmanship

Lee adds:

“During the design process, we became more conscious of the differences between how people sit in public versus private spaces. We wanted to provide a natural type of comfort blended with balance, much like a carefully tailored casual suit ,  meticulously designed, yet comfortable at the same time.”
Here, the integrated thinking between form and function is evident, as the furniture combines artistic precision with practical comfort, reflecting the office’s philosophy of harmoniously integrating humans into space.

Drawing Inspiration from Knoll’s History

Architects Johnston and Lee relied on a deep understanding of Knoll’s rich history to guide the design of their Biboni sofa, creating a piece that blends modernity with respect for heritage.
The new design seamlessly aligns with the strict structure of classic works created by legendary designers such as Eero Saarinen, Marcel Breuer, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, giving the sofa a balance between innovation and authenticity.

Harmony with the Collection and Environment

Mark Lee emphasizes:

“Biboni was designed to harmonize with other collections ,  it has a strong presence without overwhelming the space, yet we love that it maintains its own distinct character.”
This approach reflects an architectural awareness of visual harmony, where each element in the space becomes part of a larger dialogue between pieces without losing its individual identity.

Returning to the Archive as a Tool for Understanding

Sharon Johnston adds:

“Returning to the archive is important today, as it allows us to continue the dialogue and better understand historical works in relation to new designs.”
Here, the analytical side of contemporary design is evident: revisiting historical works allows for reinterpreting old principles and connecting them with modern approaches, deepening the designer’s understanding of both space and furniture simultaneously.

Close Collaboration with the Knoll Team

Architects Johnston and Lee worked closely with the Knoll team to develop the sofa’s structure, focusing on addressing the technical challenges that arose during execution.
Sharon Johnston explains:
“Our collaboration began with several parallel tracks ,  first, understanding what we were trying to solve; then a careful technical study of precedents within our field, aiming to balance concept, technique, and comfort. After that, we began prototyping, which was a process of discovery with the Knoll team in Meda [Italy], where we worked alongside their material experts to invent new forms.”

Careful Selection of Materials and Upholstery

Regarding the fabric used for upholstery, the architects were guided to select a textile that combines flexibility and comfort, smoothly embracing the curves while providing a gentle contrast to the bold lines of the design.
This attention to materials reflects a precise understanding of the relationship between form and texture, making the sofa a complete sensory experience.

Furniture as a Living Element in Space

Johnston adds:

“It’s a sofa that resonates with its surroundings. It can be placed against a wall, but it is appreciated more when displayed in the middle of a room, as an element floating among a collection of components that form a cohesive interior scene.”
Here, it is evident how furniture is viewed not only as a functional object but as an architectural element capable of interacting with space, enhancing visual balance and adding a dynamic dimension to the environment.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

The Biboni sofa represents an intriguing step in the relationship between architectural design and furniture, highlighting the architects’ focus on curves, proportions, and the interaction between furniture and surrounding space. On one hand, the project demonstrates the ability to combine flexibility and comfort with clear geometric precision, reflecting an architectural understanding of how furniture accommodates humans within a space. This can be considered a strong advantage for designing visually and functionally balanced residential and public environments.

However, the project has certain practical limitations. The highly artistic design, with its exaggerated curves and intricate details, may not be suitable for all settings or everyday usage patterns. Additionally, the heavy reliance on specially crafted and carefully selected materials may increase production costs, making large-scale replication challenging. Furthermore, the focus on sculptural aesthetics could limit compatibility with other furniture styles or architectural contexts, requiring careful consideration when integrating Biboni into diverse spaces.

Despite these caveats, the project can serve as an educational reference in interior architecture, particularly in terms of spatial conceptualization and viewing furniture as an extension of architecture itself. The Biboni design allows engineers and designers to study the relationship between form and function, and how curves and voids can be utilized to create a sense of comfort and visual appeal in contemporary spaces.

Prepared by the ArchUp Editorial Team

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