MVRDV’s First Foray into Furniture Design Debuts at Milan Design Week

MVRDV, the Dutch architecture firm known for their playful combination of building blocks within their structures, has recently introduced their first furniture design that exudes visual excitement.

“Vertical Village” is an installation composed of 77 colorful and large cushioned foams which resembled an indoor playground. The pieces can be mixed and matched to create different configurations which the user can sit on. The group worked with Sixinch, a Belgian furniture company specializing in foam production.

The pieces when assembled together were a literal translation of Vertical Village lines that appear like windowless buildings. According to MVRDV, the inspiration was taken from their observation of urban sprawls that are currently taking place in cities within East Asia. With the ongoing globalization and the increase in population density, there is a growing phenomena wherein structures go vertical and has veered away from traditional architecture. The installation comes with descriptions and has cited “the individual houses in Taipei, the hutongs in Beijins, the small wooden houses in Tokyo, the villages in Singapore.”

In MVRDV’s vision, these structures provide a more important community living that modern and homogeneous apartment will never be able to compete with. “Vertical Village” is an important commentary that people should still uphold and continue to encourage the community vibe despite the growing trends in housing developments. As a furniture, MVRDV’s piece appears to be a fun take on furniture all while embodying the conceptual process that the group is identified with.