Soft Steel: Form, Material, Design

With Soft Steel, designer Gianni Lo Giudice transforms steel into pure artistic expression, playing with the contrast between the hardness of the material and the illusion of form. This seating collection—comprising armchairs, sofas, benches, poufs, and stools—is a tribute to sculpture and craftsmanship, where industrial language becomes emotion.

Presented in 2002 at the Salone del Mobile in Milan, Soft Steel was exhibited alongside other projects by Gianni Lo Giudice in the exhibition "High-Dech", a bold statement of style and design vision. Produced in a limited series by Furlani Sedie, the collection has become a symbol of exclusive design, where art and function merge into a perfect synthesis.

Material and Form – Steel That Surprises
At the core of the project lies the innovative shaping of stamped steel using the deep-drawing technique, sculpting the surface into a grid of square modules. Each module is manually assembled, creating a dynamic texture that mimics the capitonné effect—typically found in upholstered furniture—yet executed in an unexpectedly solid material. Cold and resilient, steel is transformed into an illusion of softness, turning each seat into a tactile and sculptural object.

Uniqueness and Absolute Design
The Soft Steel seating pieces are more than simple furnishings; they are functional works of art, each with a unique identity thanks to their artisanal assembly. The armchair, compact and essential, embodies the purest essence of the collection. The sofa, imposing and rhythmically structured in its modular design, commands attention within any space. The bench and pouf, lightweight and versatile, play with shape and material, while the stool, sleek and bold, completes the set with character. In every piece, the strength of steel is dressed in timeless elegance.

Design Without Compromise
Soft Steel perfectly encapsulates Gianni Lo Giudice’s High-Dech style, where technology becomes decorative art and material transforms into expressive language. Here, form, material, and design coexist in absolute harmony: the form is sculptural and enduring, the material is steel, masterfully crafted with precision and passion, and the design is pure and uncompromising—stripped of excess, yet full of substance.

Soft Steel is more than a collection—it is a manifesto. First presented at the Salone del Mobile in 2002 within the "High-Dech" exhibition and produced in a limited series by Furlani Sedie, it stands as proof that when design is pure, absolute, and uncompromising, it can transform material into emotion and function into art.