Mia Armchair
The new MIA collection, designed by Jean Nouvel, is a crystal-clear example of the spirit EMU brings to placing technological development at the top of its priority list, in an atmosphere buzzing with productive creativity. The whole concept stems from the RBC Design Centre in Montpellier, where three important elements were brought together: design, production and distribution. Frank Argentin, founder of RBC and a personal friend of Jean Nouvel, commissioned the Montpellier showroom to the French architect and designer with the aim of creating a venue that was to act as an authentic design manifesto, a showcase able to offer visitors a trip through the world of prestige furnishings. With this mission in mind, it was of the essence that the common areas be furnished with particular care; hence Frank Argentin’s decision to entrust the furnishing project for the Design Centre’s restaurant (also called MIA) to Jean Nouvel and to Emu, a company with years of sound experience in the contract sector, world leader in metalworking and trusted supplier of RBC. From the collaboration of these three outstanding names sprang the new MIA collection, with a design revolving around the concept of furnishings that make their mark and are so instantly recognisable the world over as to become true urban icons, thanks not only to the Emu brand name but to the efforts of the extraordinary work group the company is part of.
Simple, clean-cut lines are the hallmarks of these seats and tables, whose hard-wearing, practical qualities provide the perfect response to a wide range of requirements to suit all tastes. MIA is designed and certified as an outdoor product, but is also perfectly suitable for use indoors, not only in homes, but also in design or history museums, as well as the top-of-the-range hotel and street contract segment. Considering the needs of these different sectors, the new collection has been designed to guarantee maximum functionality: thanks to the lightweight frame and the shape of the seats and arms, the chairs can easily and practically be placed on top of the table, thus making tidying up and cleaning operations easier. The collection will be composed of stackable seats featuring a distinctive, skilful combination of aluminium and metal, available with and without arms, as well as armchairs, a high stool, a bench and two tables, one round and one square, with fold-down metal and laminate tops and featuring a distinctive geometric base composed of four rectangular-shaped tubes. Made in Italy throughout, MIA is available in white, red, grey and black, and will be complemented with coordinated cushions suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Hat Outdoor Covering
Another 100% Italian new addition for 2012 is HAT, designed by the Chiaramonte-Marin studio. This new outdoor covering solution is a modern, technological new take on the bamboo construction system. The designer, Marco Marin, describes it as a contemporary expression of the natural inclination that since time immemorial has projected humankind towards the exterior, with an inherent desire to build, to create a shelter. The frame is composed of round aluminium poles, with attractive, top-quality finishes, linked together by die-cast joints, thanks to which the covering beams can be tilted for either practical or aesthetic reasons. HAT comprises both stand-alone and wall-mounted solutions, with the cover formed by a Roman blind that can be pulled back or forward. The cover may be opened and closed manually, or provided with a motor and a remote control device. The fabric is by Tempotest Parà, which has gained sound, impressive experience alongside Emu in developing innovative, 100% outdoor products, such as the colourful, sophisticated Soft Ware fabric collection, designed once again by the Chiaramonte-Marin studio. The fabric created for HAT is a resin-coated, spun-dyed acrylic, Teflon treated to guarantee weather resistance and prevent fading. HAT has been conceived for the widest possible range of outdoor uses, in both the domestic and contract sector. Suitable for any kind of surface, it comes with the appropriate anchoring systems. Once again, EMU is proud to offer a product that allows for a supremely practical, 360° outdoor experience.
Shade Umbrella
The umbrellas in the Shade range, designed by Christophe Pillet, have also undergone an innovative makeover: the models with the pole to the side have been made even more functional and user-friendly, thanks to an exclusive method developed by the EMU Research Centre. The rotation, opening and closing mechanisms have been studied anew, so as to make it even easier to tilt the shade: with the new mechanism, the angle can be adjusted simply by pulling the blocking pin along the main pole until it reaches the desired position.
Finally, Metal & Colours: Emu’s most glamorous new collections. The idea here is to bring together metal – Emu is a world leader in metalworking for the outdoor furnishing sector – with the innovative shades in the lively colour scheme that is the hallmark of the Arc-en-Ciel, Shot and Star collections: fresh, youthful, casual furnishing elements that adapt effortlessly to spaces of various sizes and a wide range of settings both outdoors and in.
