Here, the concept of the combi-sofa takes on a whole new meaning. Lobby is a simple construction of three cubes: a flat main body on which two backrests of varying length are asymmetrically arranged. Because the main backrest is set in the middle, there is seating space all around. The effect is to create a seating island similar to the Scroll sofa (Studio Vertijet, 2002). This unusual design opens up seating for a large number of people. On what other sofa can one sit back-to-back? When multiple pieces are combined, infinite constellations are possible, like on a chequerboard. Soft throw pillows optically mitigate the architectonic severity. As already seen in the work of Herbert Hirche and other neomodern pioneers, clear lines are coupled here with a high degree of freedom. Finally, Lobby offers a very special extra: for use as a bed, the backrest and arm rest are simply sunk into the main body by pulling a cord and pressing down lightly to create a large flat surface. “By day, it doesn’t look like a sofa bed”, assures Siegfried Bensinger, who had the new, flatscreen TVs in mind when conceiving his design. Television manufacturer Loewe is a neighbour of the Brühl company.

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