D'Urso Contract Sofa

Joseph D Urso  

Joseph Paul D’Urso, who helped pioneer the “high-tech” movement in interior design, collaborated with Knoll in the 1980s to introduce lounge and table collections. In 2008, he returned to design a new sofa and lounge chair.

D’Urso: “Being as I’ve done interiors for about 40 years, I have a pretty good idea of all the products that are out there. I am constantly looking for things and not finding exactly what I want. So, I use that as a challenge to try to design something that suits the function that I need.

“As far as the sofa is concerned, it’s meant to be a sofa that people can really relax in — something that two people can climb on and curl up in. It’s deep, which I think is really nice. We’re offering it in different depths and different heights, which is a nice feature to have.

Known as a preeminent member of the 1980s “high-tech” movement, Joseph D’Urso studied interior design and architecture at Pratt Institute, Royal College of Art in London, and Manchester College of Art and Design. He made his reputation in the mid-1970s designing private residences and showrooms in his signature austere style. He was known for heavily stripped down interiors featuring white walls and single pieces of iconic modern furniture — oftentimes a Wassily or Barcelona Chair.

In 1980, D’Urso collaborated with Knoll to develop a collection of high rolling tables, low tables and lounge seating that reflected his preference for objects that look more engineered than styled. More recently D’Urso returned to Knoll to design the Swivel Lounge and D’Urso Lounge Collection.