Segis, themodernistic Italian furniture line, has been named a finalist in the Interior Design Best of Year Awards for 2014. Segis is a finalist in the “Seating: Contract/Guest” category for its Dragonfly chair.
Chatanoogan Dave Biancofiore, president of Segis in the U.S., will travel to New York City for the 8th Annual Best of Year Awards ceremony on Thursday. Winners of this industry award will be selected by Interior Design Editor-in-Chief Cindy Allen and a jury of design leaders, and will be featured in the December issue of Interior Design magazine.
“It is an honor for Segis to be selected among these finalists,” Mr. Biancofiore notes. “Last year, more than 60,000 industry experts cast votes to choose the finalists, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that this year, the number is even higher.”
Dragonfly is the creation of renowned Italian designer Odo Fioravanti, who insists that "form does matter" when creating furniture that is both beautiful and practical. “It means that the delicate beauty of objects is our goal and their form is the language we use to bring beauty to all the people,” Mr. Fioravanti explains.
How did the Dragonfly chair evolve? The Segis website shares the story:
“The Dragonfly design was derived from observations made on dragonflies, whose bodies are characterized by an imbalance in weight distribution between the front legs and their extended tail. From this formal suggestion, biomimicry influences an idea of a cantilevered seat – a chair with four legs joined on the front, and a seating surface that seems to cheat the force of gravity like an overhang. The engineering process has led to a U-shaped hidden element under the seat that increases the structural integrity. The dynamism of ‘dragonfly chair’ is exalted by characterizing the back of the injection molded polypropylene shell with ribs that explicitly references the automotive industry.”
For over 20 years, Segis products were marketed in the United States through Loewenstein, but the brand has now developed a U.S. market presence in the Segis name.
“We have found that Americans have a growing appreciation for European design,” Mr. Biancofiore says. “And with our manufacturing plant in Tennessee, Segis can offer European designs that are manufactured right here in the USA.”
A full list of all finalists in product categories are available on the Best of Year Awards site at boyawards.interiordesign.net