For Oki Sato of Japanese firm Nendo and Italian designer Luca Nichetto, collaborating on Isole Seating was a study in virtual connectivity. An update on the tradition of Tanka, where one person starts a poem and a second completes it, they traded ideas via iPhone. "I sent Luca rough sketches...of soft shapes like pebbles or islands," says Oki. (Isole means "islands" in Italian.) "So I designed the armature as a bridge to connect the islands into individual seats," adds Luca, "and each seat into a sofa."A truly unique sofa concept, with the striking seating's cushions and optional armrests in molded CMHR foam and upholstered in stretch fabrics that suit both residential and contract interiors. Powder-coated steel base features low slim legs for a floating effect. To complement any configuration, the series also includes integrated round, square or rectangular side tables. Martin Kornbek Hansen, CEO of maker &Tradition, sums it up nicely: "Their different perspectives came together as one vision, one entity.