The smooth volumes of the Pebble Rubble modular sofa system unmistakably evoke an organic spectrum of elliptical rock formations. Enhancing this grounding illusion, the rich textures that envelop the curvature of each seating element draw from the abundant materiality of the forest ecosystem, revealing a delightfully unexpected softness of textures. This clear and tactile connection to the shapes, structures and surfaces found in nature evokes a somewhat primal and fundamental quality, gently underscored by a nostalgic sense of playfulness.

“As children, in our native Sweden, our playground was the forest, and we imagined rocks, moss and fallen trees to be furniture and places for the body to rest and occupy,” explain Sofia Lagerkvist and Anna Lindgren. Lagerkvist and Lindgren head up Front, a Swedish design group that devised the new system for Moroso, an Italian-based leader in upholstered-furniture manufacturing. “For this seating group, we 3D scanned rocks we saw on our many forest walks, and composed these organic shapes together into furniture pieces,” explains the designers.

The collection, which is now available with XTRA in Singapore, was first unveiled during the 2022 Milan Design Week. The imaginative installation, pointedly titled Forest Wandering, was co-created by Front, Moroso and Kvadrat Febrik and took place at the iconic Teatro Filodrammatici di Milano.

The idea behind the immersive exhibit was born out of Front’s robust research into the innate relationship between human beings and the natural world. The findings led to the developments of Arda, a knitted upholstery textile recreating complex natural forms and colours, and informed the compelling design of the exhibit itself.

The display encouraged the viewers to explore the therapeutic benefits of nature on our wellbeing, creativity and daily lives – as well as its cultural and psychological context – by engaging with the carefully curated spectacle of wilderness, brought to life by Pebble Rubble’s organic forms, and Adra’s photorealistic surfaces.

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An extension of the Forest Wandering installation, Pebble Rubble encourages designers to bring this synesthetic connection to nature to a variety of typologies. While the modular system has been intended for hospitality, workplace and corporate environments, the collection will be an excellent addition to any space.

The adaptable system is made up of 15 modules, which include both seats and backrest, further diversified with three types of versatile foot stools. This amalgamation of tactile, voluptuous forms stimulates imagination, and enables designers to create a near-infinite number of configurations and arrangements. Whether it’s a singular armchair or a more robust, multi-seat environment, Pebble Rubble’s soft yet sturdy multidimensionality is bound to bring a mesmerising illusion of the forest setting to any contemporary interior.

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This transformative, highly creative potential of design is a quality that has defined Moroso’s offering since the inception of the brand in the early 1950s. Established by an innovative husband and wife design duo – Agostino and Diana Moroso – the brand has always been defined by the founders’ creative vision, as well as their commitment to craft and artistry of the manufacturing process.

In the 1980s, the second generation of the Moroso family further elevated the character of the brand and launched a comprehensive program of auteur design studies, while advancing the original affinity for product quality, ingenuity and creative flair. Today, Moroso is one of the most renowned names on the international furniture design scene and the brand’s prolific collaborations include iconic names like Patricia Urquiola, Alfredo Häberli, Toshiyuki Kita, Tokujin Yoshioka, Nendo and – of course – Front.

Like many other Moroso collections, the intricate juxtaposition of elements underpinning Pebble Rubble’s delightfully unexpected nature reflects the duality of the brand’s offering: emblematic of Moroso’s unmistakable style, yet unique and reflective of the designer’s distinct point of view, and cultural context. And now, XTRA, one of Singapore’s most acclaimed design stores, expands its Moroso portfolio by bringing the collection’s striking volumes to Southeast Asia.

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