by Patricia Urquiola, 2019
Gogan is a soft sculpture. A visual order, an organic shape, a clear embrace. It is an invite to
comfort, to spend time together, in a relaxed and natural way. Composed, smooth and irregular, like a
river stone, polished by water.
The Gogan collection takes its name from nature and in particular from Japanese stones rendered smooth by
time and water. This is the name given to the Japanese stones placed to protect and embellish the banks of
rivers and lakes. The sofa’s form, as much as the armchair’s form, in fact reminds us of flat stones
sculpted by wind and water, solid yet smooth enough that you can lie on them.
By playing around with gravity and balance, we can make normally heavy shapes lightweight.
Just like in rock sculptures, where stones maintain their balance by being carefully positioned and
interlocked, it is the shape that maintains the balance between the elements on the Gogan sofa and armchair,
which is not overly regular.
The seats are soft and irregular with the centre of gravity being slightly inclined towards the rear. This
gives exceptional comfort and allows the backrest to be kept lower.
The backrest and seat are joined by abutments, which lend the sofa a sense of lightness, so that it appears as
if it was suspended above the ground.