Josef Hoffmann

JOSEF HOFFMANN (Brtnice, Czech Republic, 1870 – Vienna, 1956) for Alivar.
Kubus Sofa. Designed in 1910, produced ca. 1980.
Black leather upholstery.
Solid wood frame.
Signed.
Condition: patina consistent with its age, slight scratches on the backrest, and signs of use.
Measurements: 70 x 220 x 80 cm.

The Kubus design, created by Josef Hoffmann in 1910, marked a clear break with the excessive ornamentation of historicism and an affirmation of the modern geometric language, based on the repetition of the square as a structural and aesthetic module. This piece not only reflected the ideals of the Wiener Werkstätte—precision, high-quality craftsmanship, and unity between form and function—but also anticipated 20th-century rationalism by reducing furniture to clearly defined cubic volumes, becoming an early icon of modern design where structure and form take center stage.

The piece also stands out for its large size, corresponding to a three-seater sofa, which reinforces its monumental presence and its representative character within the space. The black leather upholstery is organized through a grid of padded modules that transforms the entire surface into an architectural composition.

The interplay of squares, visible seams, and regular volumes creates an image of great visual impact, halfway between functional furniture and a sculptural object. ALIVAR’s edition faithfully recreates Hoffmann’s historic design, maintaining the original model’s sober and monumental presence.

Josef Hoffmann was an architect, designer, and a key figure of Viennese modernism. Co-founder of the Wiener Werkstätte in 1903 alongside Koloman Moser, he championed a holistic approach to design, applied to architecture as well as furniture, decorative objects, and the applied arts. The “Kubus” sofa is one of his most recognizable designs and an icon of 20th-century modern furniture.

It is currently represented at the MAK and the Leopold Museum in Vienna, the Metropolitan and the MoMA in New York, the Brohan in Berlin, the Courtauld Institute in London, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, among many others.