RODA Philia modular teak outdoor sofa system

Teak modular sofa

A yacht deck on land

The ancient Greeks used the word philia for a close bond between friends, and Dordoni built the collection around sitting together. A teak frame runs around the outside of every module. Where there is no cushion, that frame flattens into a ledge that holds a glass or a book, so seats and small surfaces alternate along the sofa. The deck modules run longer than the standard ones, about 90 1/2 inches for a two-seater against 77 7/8.

Under the cushions sits carabottino, the slatted teak grating used on boats. Water falls straight through it, and teak copes with sun and rain without any paint. Left unoiled, it weathers to a soft silver gray. RODA uses FSC certified teak for Philia. Seats are stretched Batyline, a technical mesh, the feet are powder coated stainless steel in smoke, and the cushions are made with hydro-draining padding that dries quickly after a shower.

The loose backrests do most of the comfort work. Each one is lightly padded, faced in Batyline and polyester belts, and reclines to three positions. An armrest can also serve as a backrest or a headrest, so one module works as a sofa at lunch and a daybed later in the afternoon. Belts come in seven colors, olive and orange among them, and the cushion fabric list runs to twenty names. RODA also shows Philia as part of its partnership with Missoni.

The seat is low, about 13 3/4 inches with the cushion, closer to a yacht lounge than to a living room sofa. Philia also takes space: a three-seater deck module is more than ten feet long and every module is about 45 inches deep. It belongs on a wide terrace, a pool deck or a lawn where a group faces the view. As Italian outdoor furniture goes, few systems borrow so directly from boat building.

Yacht deck grating and backrests that recline

Designer

Rodolfo Dordoni

Rodolfo Dordoni, a Milan architect, began working with RODA in 2005 and went on to become its artistic director. Philia shows his habit of mixing indoor comfort with outdoor function, here in the language of yacht decks.

More about Rodolfo DordoniMore about Rodolfo Dordoni

Also listed under Italian outdoor sofas.