The act of play creates a welcome escape from the demands of daily life, encouraging joy, creativity and collaboration, with tangible benefits from stress relief to improved cognitive function. So when it comes to the interiors of spaces for play—for leisure and socializing for example—how can design enhance these effects? Specifying adaptable modular furniture that can blend the boundaries between indoor and out is one method to improving the freedom and spontaneity of space, bringing agency to moments of joy, possibilities for fresh configurations and equipping interiors for shifting future dynamics.
For Italian designer Matteo Nunziati’s latest collection of outdoor furniture for Unopiù, the Davos collection, he was inspired by the geometric simplicity of children’s games as functional devices for enlightenment and to reconnect spaces to movement and expression. The generous yet lightweight modular seating system, which includes sofas, chaise longues, armchairs and coffee tables, is easy to assemble and offers infinitely adaptable scenarios to encourage play in daily life. To unlock these qualities, Nunziati was drawn in particular to the logical beauty of the abacus, with its magnetic balls connected on linear elements.
Just like the game, the aluminum structure of the Davos system forms a base for the shifting series of softly curved cubes that can be configured in a wide range of diverse ways. The minimal construction of the joint, involving highly sophisticated welding and processing, echoes the wooden rural architecture of the Swiss town of Davos, after which the collection is named. The system’s elements can then be tailored to outdoor spaces from compact urban terraces, to expansive rooftops, and flowing garden patios—remaining responsive to interpreting varied social scenarios and personal creativity.
Nunziati explains the philosophy of the collection: "Looking at human reality, two main factors emerge: functionality, which is measurable and subject to deterioration, and a more existential dimension, imbued with concepts such as beauty and happiness. The Davos seating system is a synthesis of these two aspects, providing a combination of practicality and emotion.”
Renowned for his work within international playgrounds of hedonism from New York to Dubai and Miami, Nunziati is accustomed to creating seamless experiences of contemporary living where design only enhances the flow of conversations and abundant escapism. We often feel most free in spaces where boundaries between indoor and outdoor are transparent, connecting us with nature, whether it be an expanse of sky in a dense city or a sandy beach and the ocean beyond. After designing interiors for a penthouse at the Bosco Verticale in Milan or a luxury resort of verdant courtyards in Paros, Nunziati designed the Davos seating system to only enhance this transition.
While Davos has the durable properties of outdoor products, thanks to comfortable upholstery and soft fabrics available in three natural, neutrals—Perla delicato, Cammeo delicato and Ghiaia—it replicates the refined appearance and feel of indoor furniture. It’s a quality that Unopiù can provide unique expertise on, as from the outset, the company’s aim has been to furnish outdoor spaces, with the same care and attention to detail as interior counterparts, with particular focus on functional, aesthetically elegant and made-to-measure solutions.
"Unopiù has invented outdoor living, in the sense that in 1978 it was the first to believe in furniture elements that could be placed outside,” explains Nunziati, “There is often a tendency to adapt interior products to the outdoors, whereas working with a company like Unopiù has helped me to alter my perspective. So the idea is to design an outdoor product that would actually relate to the interior.”
So it’s safe to say that not only is play important to our lives, but also our connection to the outdoors and the natural qualities it brings. Enhancing the opportunities and atmosphere for outdoor play with versatile and aesthetic furniture that can embrace the energy of life can truly help us feel free, better connect with others and enjoy the benefits of nature, ultimately unlocking our ability to imagine and dream.
