PARIS DESIGN WEEK 2025
Citterio presents Borealis, the new modular seating system designed by Snøhetta, inside the UniFor showroom in Rue des Saints-Pères for the Paris Design Week 2025. This debut marks the beginning of a new phase in the collaboration between the two Molteni Group brands, reflecting a shared culture of design, architecture, and spatial innovation.
Borealis is developed around a square modular footprint and consists of armchairs, sofas, benches, and side tables. The system features clearly defined wooden frames and soft volumes upholstered with architectural precision. Designed to offer containment without rigidity, and comfort without informality, Borealis adapts to a wide range of hybrid and flexible environments. Each element maintains formal consistency while allowing for open or serial compositions depending on the spatial context.
The name Borealis evokes a Nordic atmosphere, tied to nature and lightness. It reflects the connection between Snøhetta’s Scandinavian roots and their architecture’s deep relationship with the landscape.
The wooden surfaces and profiles introduce a natural material presence into the space. Technical solutions are subtly integrated within the seemingly simple structure, allowing for undisturbed and quiet moments.
“With Borealis, we set out to create something enduring, a design that feels both composed and adaptable. It’s a structural framework that offers calm and clarity, while quietly elevating everyday moments. The system reflects Citterio’s unique approach to spaces and our belief that good design doesn’t need to shout, it needs to support its context.”
— Marius Myking, Director of Product Design, Snøhetta
FROM PRODUCT TO SYSTEM
Borealis becomes a true system through the logic and construction of its wooden profiles and panels. Like an architectural tool, it can scale across different typologies and create dynamic furnishing landscapes—from open lounges to more intimate settings. It evolves naturally with the space, offering versatile solutions for work, waiting, or social areas.
THE SOFAS
The family includes a three-seater sofa, a two-seater, and an armchair — all available with or without armrests for enhanced layout flexibility.
THE TABLES
The side and coffee tables, made of natural or coffee-stained oak, are available in three sizes to suit a variety of design contexts.
THE BENCHES
The upholstered benches, in two depths, integrate seamlessly with the rest of the system, supporting modular and harmonious compositions tailored to each project.
The installation also includes a selection of Citterio’s key systems: the Wood Wall partition system (version 105), the Bridge height-adjustable workstation, and the W-SS acoustic pod — all showcasing Citterio’s focus on acoustic performance, ergonomic design, and compositional clarity.
For the occasion, the UniFor showroom also features a curated selection of UniFor collections, reinforcing the integration between the two brands within a unified architectural setting.
