Header: Ellen Christina Hancock
At this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale, London-based design studio it’s a local collective, in collaboration with textile artist Yu-Mei Huang, presents Soft Spot, a tactile, modular seating installation that looks more like a giant communal hug than traditional public furniture. The piece is part of Time Space Existence, a major exhibition curated by the European Cultural Centre and open from 10 May to 23 November 2025.
A soft place to land at the Venice Biennale
Soft Spot isn’t your usual bench or seat. It’s a collection of padded steps and earthen forms, inviting visitors to not just sit but stretch out, lean in, or gather together. It feels a bit like sinking into a nest built for people who like to linger.
The design flips the usual script. Instead of putting soft layers on top of something hard, the designers did the opposite: they tucked solid objects into soft materials. The soft parts come from Huang’s custom knitted textiles, while the sturdy elements are made from limecrete, a breathable, carbon-absorbing building material. It’s a thoughtful mix; comfort meets climate care.
The limecrete isn’t just structural. It takes the shape of playful, movable objects that double as stools, plinths, or even small tables. Users are encouraged to move them around, set their bags down, or just explore the setup in their own way.
A kit of parts that can move and change
Soft Spot is built to move – literally. Its stackable cushions and removable limecrete pieces can be rearranged or packed up without screws or nails. That makes it not only adaptable but also sustainable. The design team thought about the full life of the installation, from setup to takedown, and made choices that reduce waste and increase flexibility.
Visitors are encouraged to shape their own space; to build a little nook for themselves, to gather with others, or just take a break. It’s an experiment in making public furniture more human, more responsive, and a little softer around the edges.
Making public spaces feel more like home
In a time when public space often feels cold or rushed, Soft Spot invites a different kind of encounter. One that slows us down, brings us closer, and lets us feel more at ease in shared places. It’s a gentle reminder that good design doesn’t just organize space, it changes how we feel in it.
Soft Spot is on view now at the Time Space Existence exhibition during the Venice Architecture Biennale, running through 23 November 2025.
