Chicago, Illinois
The Isla Double, designed by Defne Koz and Marco Susani, and manufactured by Cumberland, evokes the familiar yet not conventional offering inviting comfort and infinite modularity for informal settings and fluid spaces.
The project has been awarded a 2020 Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies for its ingenuity and elegance.
The inspiration came from observing the changing nature of work—its transition from occurring only informal, rigidly defined spaces to activities that have now become more free-form and fluid.
Offering an innovative approach to modular seating, Isla allows for both linear, orthogonal layouts and free-flow configurations—making it the ideal solution for multi-functional, fluid-use architectures.
The furniture incorporates the inviting warmth and softness typically associated with a domicile but also supports a work point of view.
This involved a focus on finding the right shapes and configurations to create more functionality and flexibility.
The result is a design that has broad application for work, hospitality, higher education, healthcare, and other public spaces.
The Isla Double vocabulary is comprised of five backed-seating sections and four bench-seating components available in a Modular End, Straight Section, Bench-to-Lounge Transition, and two types of curved elements – a Compact 45° Curve and a Gentle 22.5° Curve.
The seat is 4″ thick multi-density polyurethane foam over a plywood frame. Each backed-seating component has a short 10”-high backrest.
Project: Isla Double 2020
Designers: Defne Koz and Marco Susani, Koz Susani Design
Manufacturer: Cumberland
