The motto "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts", borrowed from the world of psychology, perfectly summarizes the essence of the Sity sofa created in the 1980s by designer Antonio Citterio, capable at the time of anticipating with great farsightedness the change of concept that was about to affect the domestic environment and in particular the way of living in the living room.
Sity is in fact a modular sofa, able to change and evolve according to tastes or needs, without ever forgetting comfort, as demonstrated by the presence of a structure equipped with a chaise longue that focuses on the comfort of the seat. It is the beginning of a transformation that still lasts today and which has seen the living area become a place in the home not only to show off, but in which to spend more and more time and share moments with family or friends.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE DESIGNER ANTONIO CITTERIO
Antonio Citterio was born in 1950 in Meda, a Lombardian district which over the years would later gain an important reputation thanks to the presence of various design and furniture companies.
After graduating in architecture from the Milan Polytechnic University in 1975, Citterio began his career as a designer and architect, opening an associated studio with Terry Dwan between the 1980s and 1990s, before founding Antonio Citterio and Partners, with offices in Milan and Hamburg, together with Patricia Viel.
The Sity sofa, designed in 1986 for a project for B&B Italia, earned Citterio the Compasso d'Oro, an award that the designer would later win again in 1994 thanks to the Mobil by Kartell system of drawers created together with Oliver Low.
In addition to holding the position of art director for clients such as Maxalto, Arclinea and Azucena, for 10 years, from 2006 to 2016, Citterio also worked as a professor of architectural design at the Academy of Architecture in Mendrisio, Switzerland.
FABRICS
The Sity seating system by B&B Italia is conceived in removable fabric, but since it is a sofa that is now out of production, there is now the possibility of proceeding with a restoration of the structure, opting for many different coverings.
SITY SOFA CHAISE LONGUE
The chaise longue is probably the most characterizing element among those of the Sity modular sofa, as it clearly symbolizes the change introduced by the seating system designed by Antonio Citterio.
The presence of the peninsula, which allows you to stretch your legs and reach a more relaxed position, makes you understand how the sofa is no longer just a place to entertain guests, sit down and chat, but also a new space in which to rest or spend time comfortably to watch television together.
In other words, Sity was conceived by Citterio with a view to a new reality and its inhabitants.
FEATURES
Sity is a sofa that is ahead of its time precisely because it understands the importance of making the main element of the living area more flexible and welcoming. According to the B&B itself, which commissioned the project from Citterio, it is "a bold step forward towards the search for a seating system made up of flexible and separable structures, capable of reorganizing today's complex life scenario".
This is why the rectilinear sofa, its curved version and finally the structure equipped with a chaise longue, i.e. the three central elements of the system, are joined by another twenty or so pieces, among which there is also a bed, which can be combined directly with the base or still place in the same room.
Regardless of the final composition, the identity of Sity can be summed up precisely by the gentle curves of its peninsula, a design that became a pioneer which in the following years would inspire furniture companies and designers from all over the world.
The best way to discover all the features of Sity is to come to our showroom in via Boccaccio 04, Milan.