Arper Defines Beauty as Simplicity

June 22, 2023

Arper, an international voice of design, believes simplicity is beautiful. The brand demonstrated this through five new collections that update Arper’s timeless silhouettes with pops of color and recyclable materials.

The collections showcased in Arper’s Chicago showroom during NeoCon 2023. Each have been spearheaded by a different designer: Aava 02 by Antti Kotilainen, Ralik by Ichiro Iwasaki, Roopa and Shaal by Doshi Levien, Semiton by García Cumini, and the 2022 edition of the Onemm table by Peter Kunz. Though many different voices have created these pieces, they have a cohesive identity, united under Arper’s distinctive interpretation of beauty.

The ONEMM table paired with Aava 02 chairs. Photo by Alga Studio

“Beauty is often misunderstood as superficial, about appearance, something secondary to today’s challenges. To us, however, it is exactly the opposite: a deep and rich quality that encompasses our hope for the future,” Arper said in a press release. Their furniture comes from a vision of the world where people relax with loved ones on a lush planet. They see their products enduring heavy use, and when they become worn out after witnessing a vibrant life, they get recycled into a thriving ecosystem.

The Aava 02 and ONEMM are two sustainable pieces that communicate Arper’s vision. The former is a scooped stacking chair with an iconic, classic silhouette, but has upgraded its materials to post-consumer recycled polypropylene reinforced with fiberglass, making it more durable and easy to recycle. Though the Aava 02 has a somewhat institutional feel, a variation with plywood legs, slicked in oak or walnut finishings, would be eye-catching in a home. The ONEMM shares this chameleon-like quality. While its minimalist form appears fragile—the tabletop is made from a single steel sheet, one millimeter-thick—its materials are sturdy and rigid. Made from only five pieces, all metal or wood, the table is entirely recyclable. Scoot an Aava 02 under it and you have a sleek office.

The Aava 02 in a wood finish. Photo by Salva Lopez

Then, round out the room with a Semiton console system. Its red and green colorways match the Aava 02’s updated palette, and their subtle, monochromatic gradient adds some flair to another minimalist design. It can be customized so that some compartments are open and others are hidden behind doors. The console also offers two different heights, which can be combined. A fun way to personalize the Semiton would be to mix up the dimensions and create a cascading effect between modules.

The Semiton can be customized in many ways. Photo by Salva Lopez

If these pieces are too rigid for your taste, the Ralik and Roopa collections will shake up the environment with their rounded, organic forms. Ralik taps into the trend of modular, organic sofas with backrests, pillows and poufs that can be rearranged for any setting. With fresh colors and rounded corners, they resemble tic-tacs. Ralik can be accompanied by side tables, which can either be fixed permanently to the chair or freestanding. If they don’t mesh with the environment, the Roopa is an attractive alternative.

Roopas are cozy, low tables. They playfully juggle textures, with high gloss tops and matte bases that will stand up to the wear and tear of real life. Roopa comes in two styles: lean and rectangular, or squat and round.

Roopa combines a high gloss table top with matte finish legs. Photo by Salva Lopez

Arper describes their modus operandi as “the project of living,” and these collections see that project as one that must consider both creation and destruction. They are building a beautiful world by designing a closed circuit pipeline, where the materials that create a collection will eventually be recycled and repurposed in the next. The five new collections will brighten the home or office for decades, and when it’s time to let them go, they’ll be incorporated into Arper’s future.