Design 101

We wish a happy anniversary to an icon of free-flowing ’70s design

Roche Bobois’s Mah Jong sofa is officially middle-aged. As we celebrate its 50th anniversary, it’s worth remembering that its modular construction and low-slung silhouette stalled its release. “Very few franchised stores understood the concept,” recalls Nicolas Roche, creative director of Roche Bobois.

Good design is occasionally ahead of its time, but fortunately for the Mah Jong, consumers copped on. Each of the collection’s five components (an armless chair, lounge chair, corner seat, panoramic corner seat and ottoman) sits directly on the ground and, with the smallest of them nearly a metre square, they have a tendency to sprawl – which is kind of the point. A product of the ’70s, it challenged design norms, encouraged comfort and invited a freedom of use. The infinitely flexible Mah Jong met the moment.

Roche Bobois continues to draw on its avant-garde roots. It’s been “dressed” by fashion luminaries such as Kenzo Takada, Jean Paul Gaultier and Missoni Home in intricate, exclusive hand-stitched upholstery that’s become Mah Jong’s trademark. At approximately $2,500 a piece, a full set-up is an investment, but at least you know it’s a long-term one. ROCHE-BOBOIS.COM