Papilio

Butterflies in flight.‎ The design image was that of a chair that would ‘welcome’ gracefully – with the graceful movement of a butterfly – which in Latin is called a ‘papilio’.‎ Grande Papilio was designed with fluidity around an upside-down truncated cone.‎ The ample space of its large upper back and the curved shape of its cosy seat are a clear signs of a desire to offer maximum comfort to anyone who wants to sit it this chair.‎ This is a truly iconic product, even though its aesthetics were not a high priority according to the designer.‎ Fukasawa, who puts people’s behaviour before an interest for shape, said: “I wanted the chair to look naturally comfortable, to have the same shape that relaxation would have if it were represented by an image.‎’ The wings that extend at the sides of the chair emphasise the sensation of comfort: in the chair and the small armchair, they help support the hips and the back; in the Grande Papilio chair and the Love Papilio sofa, they cushion the head to offer isolation and tranquillity.‎ The same spirit of simplicity, immediacy and comfort have guided the functional development of the entire Papilio series: the Grande Papilio and Piccola Papilio armchairs, the chairs Papilio and Mini Papilio, the Love Papilio sofa and the Papilio bed.‎