Neri&Hu has created a line of furniture for Chinese brand Stellar Works that pays homage to the art-deco architecture of Shanghai's Bund area.
Launched at IMM Cologne last week, the Bund collection comprises an armchair, a stool and a chair with timber bases and a range of softly curving upholstered seats with pulled-back detailing on the backrest.
The Bund, meaning embankment, is the name given to the waterfront area in central Shanghai. Stellar Works says this part of the city is made up of elements that reflect both its industrial origins and its colonial history.
Inspired by the Bund's varied architecture, Shanghai-based studio designers Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu, who also serve as the creative directors of Stellar Works, wanted to create a collection of furniture that reflected this style.
"The Bund is a symbol of Shanghai's past, present and future,"Â said the brand. "The soft curves and rich fabric finishes observed in the Bund pieces pay homage to the art-deco style, which is permanently ingrained in the DNA of Shanghai."
In addition to the Bund collection, Neri&Hu also unveiled an update to the existing Utility Sofa at IMM Cologne.
Featuring a curved backrest and detachable shelf that hooks over the armrest, the Utility sofa has been reimagined by the designers – resulting in a more refined silhouette that "combines comfort with practicality".
Commenting on the 2018 Collections, Yuichiro Hori, founder and CEO of Stellar Works said: "We are delighted to take part in IMM Cologne for the first time this year and present a series of new designs that reflect our commitment to good design and craftsmanship."
Alongside new pieces by Neri & Hu, Stellar Works also presented highlights from its existing collection, the Blink collection by Yabu Pushelberg, the Slow Collection by Space Copenhagen, the Exchange collection by Crème/Jun A Aizaki and the Valet collection by David Rockwell.
IMM took place in Cologne, Germany from 15 to 21 January.