WORDS Tracy Greenwood
Avant-garde when it was first created, the Roche Bobois Mah Jong modular sofa has become a modern icon.
The modular Mah Jong seating concept, designed by Hans Hopfer back in 1971, is still utterly relevant today. Allowing freedom of function and form, Mah Jong consists of three basic elements that can be set at angles or overlaid, allowing a number of compositions, including an armchair, a sofa, a lounge chair and even a daybed.
“Each element is hand-made in a dedicated workshop in Italy using processes and techniques similar to those of the haute couture fashion industry,” says Charlotte Bermond of Roche Bobois in Cape Town. “Each component is hand-stitched using a method similar to that of mattress-making, and great attention is paid to detailing.
“By virtue of the exclusive fabrics used to upholster it and the unique nature of each composition, every Mah Jong composition becomes a one-of-a-kind creation.”
