Butter­fly Sofa System

World-renowned designer Patricia Urquiola has already left a profound mark on the industry, and her prolific career is still catapulting ahead at full-speed. The Spanish designer’s eye for brilliant color and striking, sinuous forms turns her furniture, product, and interior designs into instant hits. Her expert understanding of composition, material, and form has garnered her commissions from the world’s most esteemed manufacturers, including Agape, Alessi, B&B Italia, Bisazza, Flos, Foscarini, Glas Italia, Kartell, Kvadrat, and Moroso. Pieces like her amorphous Bend sofa for B&B Italia reveal her talent for creating instantly eye-catching furniture that is also extremely inviting and human-centric.

Urquiola was born in Oviedo, Spain, and lives and works in Milan. After her schooling, she served as assistant professor to Achille Castiglioni and Eugenio Bettinelli at the Milan Polytechnic. During this time she also led the product development department at DePadova, where she designed alongside Vico Magistretti. She opened her own studio in 2001.

In 2015, she was named the art director of legendary Italian house Cassina, where she has worked to resurrect the brand’s expansive archive and transform its flagship stores to reflect the more than 90-year-old company’s modern vision. She also produces designs for a wide range of global clients.