Furniture brand Paulin, Paulin, Paulin and American football player Stefon Diggs have displayed the athlete’s personal furniture collection and a hybrid speaker/sofa prototype by the brand at a Miami residence during the city’s art week.
The Stefon Diggs is in the House show took place at the M Building in Wynwood, a former warehouse turned residence and event space by Chad Oppenheim and interior designer Chahan Minassian.
The installation showcased a variety of Paulin, Paulin, Paulin (Paulin) pieces, the majority of which were from Houston Texan wide receiver and Liem founder Stefon Diggs’ personal collection as an exploration of the intersection of sports, design and the home according to the team.
The first set displayed a bright-orange couch that was designed by Paulin founder Pierre Paulin in the 1980s but was only prototyped recently by the brand – with slight adjustments – and debuted in collaboration with Nike at the 2024 Olympic Games earlier this year.
The orange Video Barnum couch comprises five, thin geometric seating units that lay close to the ground, with upturned triangular corners that act as backrests.
Speakers were embedded within each backrest to create an immersive sound system, reflecting the multi-sensory experience Paulin intended in his original design.
“Like many innovations, the world was not ready for the Tapis-Siége (Carpet Seat) when [Peirre] conceived the idea over 50 years ago,” said the furniture brand.
“The idea came when he started to believe that the future of furniture was in its disappearance – instead, creating ‘programs’, modular furniture systems that could fluidly facilitate experimental communal experiences of space.”
During the installation, the seating was hooked up to an AUX cord, which generated music throughout the piece.
In an adjoining room, Digg’s collection was displayed in a tight cluster, rendered in custom colours. The collection included pieces such as red Elysée Floor Lamps, a moss-green Tapis-Siège couch and a light blue Dune Ensemble couch, a seating unit with geometric padding and hump-like dividers that emerge from its surface.
Other pieces showcased include the rectangular Angular Moon Table, a scalloped, white Alpha Club Chair and a black leather Declive recliner.
A Miami Table with multi-coloured cushions was also displayed outside – a singular unit that encompasses four benches and a central table.
“By juxtaposing Pierre Paulin’s iconic designs with objects reflecting Diggs’s life and values, this temporary house becomes a space of exploration where design and sport intersect to challenge our understanding of space, identity, and performance,” said the team.
“This project demonstrates how furniture and personal artefacts can transform architecture into a home imbued with meaning and individuality.”
Other events that took place during this year’s Miami art week included the second installment of Alcova Miami and the unveiling of the Jaguar electric concept car Type OO.
The photography is by Pierrick Rocher
Stefon Diggs is in the House took place from 4 to 8 December at the M Building in Miami. For more global events in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.
