design+strategies

Furniture for a Society in Motion Product and Service Solutions that Meet Temporality and Circularity Logics

DESCRIPTION

In a society characterised by increasing fluidity and the ability to cross borders even for temporary living solutions, people increasingly use the objects that constitute their everyday lives as elements of psychological continuity. Furniture represents a special category, as it gives life to the home by fulfilling a practical and symbolic function, preserving a personal narrative in times of housing transition. Therefore, the article explores the relationship between furniture and mobile living, highlighting solutions such as products, services and business models from the furniture sector that facilitate the transportability, accessibility, and adaptability of furniture in a circular perspective. The research adopts an exploratory and qualitative approach, and through multiple case studies, solutions that adopt circular strategies and business models are analysed, distinguishing hard and soft solutions, acting on the product or through services. The analysis reveals an evolving sector whose solutions seek to meet the needs of a society on the move, promoting lightweight, disassemblable or adaptable objects while at the same time taking into account the needs of the planet through circular solutions that facilitate the reuse or exchange of furniture. The research highlights the need to rethink furniture design not only in functional terms but also as a vehicle for inclusion, resilience and environmental sustainability, proposing a design vision oriented towards change.

CITE THIS ARTICLE

Italia, M., & Pei, X. (2025). Furniture for a Society in Motion Product and Service Solutions that Meet Temporality and Circularity Logics. PAD. Pages on Arts and Design, 18(28), 153–172.