Milan-based Italian architect and designer Claudio Bellini has built an international reputation for work that fuses architecture, furniture and interior design.
A graduate of the Politecnico di Milano, he founded his studio in 1996 and, in 2024, established Claudio Bellini Design Group. His work for leading brands including Vitra, Poltrona Frau, Natuzzi and RH has earned numerous international design accolades. And now Bellini has partnered with BoConcept.
The collaboration has produced Paraggi, an adjustable sofa, and Volterra, a new dining and living collection inspired by the Tuscan city where material, craftsmanship and history converge.
“A table is a sort of basic architectural element,” says Bellini of his starting point when designing Volterra. At its core is a clear architectural concept – balancing vertical and horizontal elements to create a form that feels both grounded and dynamic. “It’s all about proportion, balancing every element to achieve something clean and pure.”
Beyond form, Volterra is rooted in the emotional significance of dining. The table and chairs are designed to work in harmony, supporting connection, conversation and shared moments. “Dining is where we share emotions, it’s something precious,” he says. “The chair and table don’t compete; they just feel right together.”
Materiality plays a central role in shaping Volterra’s character. A considered palette of wood, ceramic and glass finishes allows for multiple expressions of the same form, enhancing both tactility and visual depth.
With Paraggi, Bellini explores furniture not as a static object, but as a living, evolving space. Designed as part of a wider collection for BoConcept, the sofa reflects a continued collaboration rooted in shared values – combining Italian sensibility with Danish design clarity.
Paraggi is conceived as an environment within the home – a space that supports the rhythms of everyday life, from quiet moments of retreat to more open, social settings. “The sofa should adapt to your needs during the day,” Bellini explains.
Inspired by the sheltered bay of Paraggi, its high, enveloping back creates a sense of comfort and protection, offering what Bellini describes as “something embracing, something that protects you”.
At the heart of Paraggi is a considered approach to flexibility. Adjustable arm and backrests allow the user to open or close the sofa’s form with ease, transforming both its function and atmosphere. “With a simple gesture, you can change the sofa completely,” says Bellini.
Crucially, this adaptability is achieved without visible complexity. “We don’t want heavy mechanisms – we want simplicity.”
The design balances a grounded, architectural base with generous seating volumes, while the back and armrests rise and unfold with a sense of softness and movement. It reflects a key principle across the collection: achieving equilibrium between solidity and lightness, creating pieces that feel both substantial and refined. “We are not designing for trends, we are designing to last,” says Bellini. “Furniture is not just an object – it’s a place where you live.”
The range is available at Bo Concept’s three showrooms, in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.
