Yves Behar debuts ‘Peaks’ seating system

The system, consisting of modular prism-shaped memory foam wedges, comes in reconfigurable lounge chairs or sofas. These can be arranged in a number of different ways to make lounges, chairs, seating ‘landscapes’ and even multi-level seating – provided you have enough wedges.

Behar introduced the project on his website by stating, “Inspired by Behar’s Swiss upbringing and the peaks and valleys of the Alpine landscape, the design transforms the traditional sofa into a flexible social terrain that supports gathering, lounging, play and shared experience”.

Behar further states, “Peaks reframes seating as a dynamic social instrument rather than a static object. By merging expressive form with everyday usability, it reflects a new vision of the home as a space that supports both solitude and togetherness with equal ease”.

The introduction of ‘Peaks’ is part of Mooi’s 25th anniversary celebration, and some old ‘favourites’, like the horse lamp, and the pig table, and the paper chandelier, all painted in silver.

We took a seat on the ‘Peaks’ sofa, and can say that its comfort level was “meh” – not enough back support. To be fair, we didn’t get a chance to configure it properly, as there were already eight people or so trying it out. But a very relaxed supine position seems the best way to sit on the sofa or lounge. Children, of course, will love it-climbing, sitting, lying down, and of course, bouncing.

The ’Peaks’ system seems very reminiscent of the modular explorations of designers such as Pierre Paulin and Super studio, who rethought – and remade – concepts of furniture and seating in the late 1960s and 1970s. Behar’s ‘Peaks’ certainly has that spirit, though a few more colours might be appropriate to add to the collection.

See Behar’s portfolio here, and Mooi’s collections here.