New sofa system Varilounge designed by Christophe Pillet

The fundamental vision behind Christophe Pillet’s new Varilounge sofa system was to create a seating furniture series for public spaces with the softer, elegant, sensual and extremely comfortable feeling typically associated with the home.

“It's interesting that hard contract furniture usually has a very hard look, too,” says Christophe Pillet. “It’s usually not at all comfortable, much less cozy or sensual. That is a pity. What’s right for the home is actually right for every purpose. We wanted to offer domestic comfort, appearance and emotion, with a smooth softness, but inserted into a tough public context.”

The world of contract interiors certainly places entirely different demands on a piece of furniture than that of the home. Varilounge is designed not to look technological, but is in fact a technologically advanced product based on a strong steel tube structure. The upholstered parts are all recyclable and can be easily replaced when needed, creating a brand new piece of furniture. 

“It’s of course a whole different story with a sofa at home, where you may sit for a couple of hours a night, than a sofa in an airport, where hundreds may sit every hour,” says Christophe Pillet. “In fact, it’s a very heavy duty construction, but using new, light, very strong qualities of steel to still achieve a soft, light impression. It’s an idea inspired by the automobile industry, where the same model can look and function equally well for private use as when driven professionally, for example as a taxi. It should look as good and be as comfortable as domestic furniture, but with super-functionality for heavy use.”

Our Varilounge series includes a high easy chair, a low easy chair and a sofa which can be combined and customized for a wide variety of uses and styles, as well as for domestic environments. The system shows elements of so-called mini-architecture, a field in which Offecct has been a pioneer. It also features innovative solutions for flexible electricity outlets, so important today when many public spaces are work hubs. The same system can create both higher and lower units. The construction is extremely durable, while all soft parts use minimal material and can be swiftly exchanged and recycled, with endless options for customization.

“You may see Varilounge as a next generation mini-architecture system,” says Anders Englund, Design Manager at Offecct. “This means that it can be used to create mini rooms in chaotic public environments with a softer, more cozy and homey micro-atmosphere. The sofas and chairs really are extremely comfortable, framing the body in a very pleasant way.”