DUNE: The Revolutionary Rug-Furniture Hybrid Transforming Interior Design

DUNE, a groundbreaking design creation unveiled at Milan Design Week 2025, seamlessly transforms the conventional concept of a rug into an extraordinary functional artwork that serves as both floor covering and furniture. This innovative piece represents a bold reimagining of domestic space, blurring the boundaries between textile and structure.

Redefining Conventional Boundaries

At Rossana Orlandi Gallery near Milan's Sant'Ambrogio church, German design studio BUDDE presented their latest masterpiece, created in collaboration with Cologne-based Nando Studio. DUNE introduces a revolutionary domestic archetype that challenges our traditional understanding of rugs and seating. This hybrid object transcends mere functionality to become a sculptural landscape within interior spaces.

The concept draws profound inspiration from nomadic desert cultures, where rugs have historically served multiple purposes beyond simple floor coverings. DUNE brilliantly bridges this cultural heritage with contemporary European comfort standards, creating something entirely new in the process. The result is neither simply a rug nor merely a chaise lounge, but rather an integrated experience that invites users to interact with space in novel ways.

Craftsmanship and Material Innovation

The extraordinary craftsmanship behind DUNE deserves particular attention. The piece is gun-tufted by Nando Studio, founded by Ferdinando Colosimo, using fine merino wool stretched over a sculptural aluminum base. This tufting technique isn't merely a production method but becomes an expressive language that celebrates texture, imperfection, and playfulness.

The aluminum structure represents the ingenious engineering aspect of the design, allowing for remarkable versatility. It can be flexibly removed and attached underneath either the left or right side of the rug, enabling the piece to adapt seamlessly to different environments and spatial requirements. This thoughtful adaptability transforms DUNE from a static object into a dynamic element that responds to changing needs and preferences.

Visual Language and Aesthetic Expression

DUNE's pattern intentionally mimics the flowing topography of desert sand dunes, rendered in a warm, shifting color palette that subtly evokes the changing quality of sunlight across natural landscapes. This visual language creates not just an object to be used, but a sensorial experience that connects users to natural forms while remaining distinctly contemporary.

The merging of softness with architectural structure produces a compelling visual and tactile paradox. When viewed from different angles, DUNE reveals itself as both a luxurious textile surface and a precisely engineered form, challenging conventional categorization within interior design.

Philosophical Underpinnings

Beyond its physical presence, DUNE makes a philosophical statement about our relationship with domestic space. Studio BUDDE, with its strong architectural background, consistently reimagines spatial interaction through objects that balance collectible one-offs with designs intended for broader production.

DUNE invites users to explore alternative modes of interacting with their environment – offering the opportunity to sit directly on its soft surface in the tradition of floor seating, or to recline on the elevated chaise lounge portion. This dual functionality represents a thoughtful commentary on how cultural practices around comfort and repose can be synthesized into new forms.

Context Within Contemporary Design

As part of Milan Design Week 2025, DUNE joins a prestigious lineup of innovative designs that push boundaries and challenge conventions. Exclusively represented by the renowned Rossana Orlandi gallery, the piece was showcased from April 7-13, 2025.

DUNE exists within a broader collection of BUDDE's work, which includes other notable pieces such as the VEIL table, PIANO washbasin, and the RUG'N ROLL concrete stool collection. This contextualizes DUNE within an evolving design philosophy that consistently seeks to introduce meaningful objects providing fresh perspectives on everyday items.

Availability and Customization

While DUNE is presented as a unique piece with "price on request" through Galleria Rossana Orlandi, custom versions can be tailored to individual preferences. This bespoke approach allows for personalization while maintaining the essential character and nomadic desert-inspired ethos of the original design.

The limited-edition nature of DUNE positions it within the realm of collectible design – objects that transcend pure utility to become conversation pieces and artistic statements within carefully curated interiors.

Conclusion

DUNE represents a significant innovation in the evolution of furniture design, challenging established typologies and creating a new category that defies simple classification. By merging cultural references, architectural thinking, and textile craftsmanship, BUDDE and Nando Studio have created a piece that functions simultaneously as practical furniture and conceptual art.

The revolutionary approach embodied by DUNE suggests exciting possibilities for the future of interior design – one where objects are increasingly fluid, multifunctional, and responsive to both physical and cultural contexts. As domestic spaces continue to evolve in response to changing lifestyles, designs like DUNE point toward a more nuanced and adaptable understanding of how we might inhabit our environments.

Link:
Dune by BUDDE - Rossana Orlandi https://www.rossanaorlandi.com/collections/dune-budde/