Sleeping in a Shell

“Our objective was to develop a sofa bed that is not too heavy-looking and very comfortable. We did not want to compromise at all as regards its functions as a sofa or a bed,” explain Dubreil and Pilato. “Clam” is the name of their design for Ligne Roset – and the newcomer is intended to serve as a link between the two functions and, at the same time, have an extremely light appearance. Last year, the idea that these two product designers came up with instantly impressed both the jury and the public at “11th Cinna challenge – Révélateurs de talents”, the design competition held in France by the Roset Group for next-generation talents. The focus of the design is on its easy-to-operate mechanism, which allows users to switch rapidly and intuitively between its two functions. The option of folding back the backrest is visually underscored by the way that the flexible sections on the side of the model fold inwards. When the sofa is folded out these folds on the armrests are transformed into a wave shape which then harmoniously frames the generous bed area on both sides.

In Clam’s structure two welded tubular steel frames are connected to three hinges. The metal parts are coated in injection-molded foam and polyester batting. For the fabric covering, which is made of cotton, Dubreil and Pilato opted for variety. With an array of hues ranging from bright mustard yellow all the way to a deep dark blue, the character of “Clam” can be matched to its user’s tastes and interior furnishing style. When they were working on the design for the sofa bed, these two French designers complemented each other ideally “Léo is very creative and constantly has new ideas, whereas I prefer to look after the details and the shape itself,” explains Pilato. The two creatives met when studying at the School of Decorative Arts in Strasbourg. A further collaboration with Ligne Roset for "Clam" could well be imagined by the two designers: “If possible, we would like to expand the “Clam” range to include other seating furniture such as chairs and an ottoman so as to lend it a broader identity,” proclaim Dubreil and Pilato. (am)