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Image source: Poltrona Frau — Bibi Armchair

© Poltrona Frau and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research.

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Bibi Armchair

BiBi: Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas's seat that opens and closes like a treasure chest.

Materials
Tubular, laser-shaped metal frameCold-pressed moulded polyurethane foamLow-voltage electric motorPelle Frau® leather

Official product information

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Description

Overview

BiBi is a high-tech seating system by Doriana Mandrelli and Massimiliano Fuksas for Poltrona Frau. Its chairs open and close like treasure chests: the seat has two states, shut, when it is almost a cushion, and open, as an ordinary chair.

Rows of closed seats in a wide viewImage source: Poltrona Frau — Bibi Armchair · © Poltrona Frau and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research. · View official product page ↗ · Image use & copyright policy

Construction

  • Frame: tubular, laser-shaped metal
  • Padding: cold-pressed moulded polyurethane foam
  • Backrest: opened by a low-voltage electric motor, or manually
  • Upholstery: Pelle Frau® leather from the Color System, optionally two-tone

Story

A seat that closes

The page presents BiBi as a seating system with formal and structural simplicity. The designers imagined a futuristic seat with two states: closed, when it looks almost like a cushion, and open, when it works like a regular chair.

Opening by motor or by hand

A low-voltage electric motor opens the backrest. Single commands on the base, or the main control panel, drive it, so sectors, rows and different opening settings can be controlled by computer systems. The page also lists a version with manual opening of the backrest.

More from Poltrona Frau

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