If you saw a sofa in front of you, one of the first impulses that probably go into your mind is to sit on it. After all, the humble sofa is often the preferred furniture by most individuals who wish to relax and take a nap on a lazy Sunday afternoon. However while sofas are bastions of comfort, they could become great means for art as well. One such furniture design which can be both comfortable and stylish is the LC 2 Sofa of Le Corbusier.

Though he is greatly recognized today for his work in modern architecture, the renowned Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier also made several modern furniture works in his time. One of which is the Le Corbusier No. 2 of LC 2 Sofa. Part of Le Corbusier’s LC2 furniture group the LC 2 Sofa is a two to three-seater couch made up of several loose blocks of black leather or fabric cushions outlined by a tubular steel border. Le Corbusier completed the sofa in 1928 in collaboration with French interior designer Charlotte Perriand, and was one of Le Corbusier’s furniture designs featured at the Salon d’ Automne exhibition in 1929 at Paris.

One of the first things people observe about the LC 2 Sofa is its outside steel frame. Aside from being on the outside as in conventional sofa type, the supporting frame of the LC 2 is located on the outside. This unique “cushion basket” configuration is due to Le Corbusier’s belief that traditional design is old and would rather show the frame’s true elegance than hide it under levels of padding and cushions. And to look more pleasing to the eye, the steel frame is coated with either a level of chrome, matte black enamel, or a shinny finish of several shades.

Currently, Cassina of Milan, Italy is the authorized producer of LC 2 Sofa reproductions, although pieces made by other manufacturers are widely available as well.