The collaboration between Edra and Francesco Binfaré is long and profound. Binfaré has been working as a designer since 1960 and was invited by Massimo Morozzi to join Edra in 1992. The result was several important sofas that showcase an extraordinary expressive and innovative power. But how does Binfaré himself view his sofas?
“For centuries, from the thrones of the pharaohs to the sofas in 18th-century buildings, seating furniture has been the result of one and the same technique: a wooden frame that dictates the sitting posture and a filling that softens the rigidity. The first real revolution came in the 1960s, with polyurethane foam: especially in its pressed version, which freed the shapes. Then there’s the spread of adhesives, enabling a sensible and durable assembly. From that moment on, technology could let go of the constraints of the frame, and industrial designers could let their creativity run wild. My sofas are depictions of the moments that are part of that ancient and universal history of comfort.”
The tram in Milan and the beaches of Salento.
Thanks to his collaboration with Edra, Francesco Binfaré was also able to completely let go of the limitations of the frame. However, when the possibilities are unlimited, it’s easy to get lost. The Italian master designer draws his inspiration from everyday life, always keeping in mind the aesthetic and practical applications of his sofas.
“I look at people. I study the passengers on the tram in Milan or the tourists on the beaches of Salento as they sunbathe by the sea, on the rocks. I see how their bodies adapt, how they search for the best posture, their favorite position. Because a chair is the portrait of the way we want to sit. My research into comfort comes from there.”
Edra Standard, model and synthesis
More flexible and comfortable than the Edra Standard by Francesco Binfaré, a sofa cannot be. The key element is an ‘intelligent cushion’ that serves as support for the arms and back and can be folded into any imaginable shape. This gives you complete freedom of use: symmetric or asymmetric, formal or informal, for reading or watching television.
“I thought of some large cushions that serve as armrests and backrests and placed them on a free form of seating. A clever way of moving, made possible and effortless by Edra’s technology. It’s a connecting and physical fabric that tries to defend itself against a virtual invasion. Due to its direct relationship with our body, the sofa will be the last item to leave our home once everything is digitized.”
The Edra Standard got its name from the old French word ‘estendart,’ meaning flag or banner. It is an accepted model, the result of twenty years of research that began with the first variable sofa, L’Homme et la Femme from 1993. The Edra On the Rocks already offered the freedom to combine modules. Standard is the synthesis of this research by Francesco Binfaré and Edra.
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