creating softblock – the origin of molo’s modular room partition

when Stephanie Forsythe and Todd MacAllen’s vision for soft started to emerge in 2001/2002, they also began concepts for a collection of modular pieces that could act as furniture, lighting, and rooms, all while being abstract and sculptural. Rather than pursue all paths at once, the design duo focused on creating what would become softwall. From its public debut at Cor’s showroom exhibition in Germany in 2004, softwall was off to a strong start.

by 2005, softwall had reached its second iteration. Both versions were now in the MoMA permanent collection, and it had won a prestigious INDEX award.

stacking

Forsythe + MacAllen wanted to develop their initial concept of modularity further and began creating versions of smaller ‘blocks’ that could be stacked to varying heights and interlocked lengths. With stacking, new aesthetic and creative possibilities emerged—for example, the blocks could be stepped or stacked and counter-curved. These differences would allow for a completely different appearance in terms of form and texture.

amongst other things, Forsythe + MacAllen also began to demonstrate that stacking softblocks would enable a whole new way to present objects – flexible curving and counter-curving forms that created natural steps and niches to enhance the presentation of objects.

the design partners also showed how these flexible blocks, with varying lengths, could be used to create rooms, pavilions and partition space while maintaining a unique and interesting textural aesthetic. 

introducing LED in 2009

by 2009, Forsythe + MacAllen had created a magnetic end panel closure that enabled the ends of softwalls and softblocks to connect to other softwalls and softblocks or to close and form an elegant visual appearance of infinite vertical and parallel lines. 

there was no longer a termination at the end as there was with the felt end panel. softwalls and softblocks could now be connected infinitely end-to-end or come to a point where the eye would continue to travel around the 'end' without any sense of termination or an edge. 

also, in 2009, the design pair integrated LED within softblock and softwall. As in their initial vision, Forsythe + MacAllen now had a more subtle and pure sculptural object in softblock that could be shaped into many forms and, due to its modularity, could be scaled to fit small spaces or expanded in height and breadth to comfortably sit within voluminous open ones.

again, true to their initial concepts, which had garnered wins in several international competitions, this was another step toward creating a unique, lightweight, flexible, freestanding partition that could be arranged in numerous ways, empowering users to reconfigure open space into more intimate provisional enclosures. 

watch now: setting up 'paper music for a blue room' | indigo softblock exhibit at ICFF 2012

decades of study

over three decades, Stephanie Forsythe + Todd McAllen have been studying the concept of flexible spacing making and its impact on how we live and work. Multiple iterations of the groundbreaking soft collection have been put to use and featured in over 100 institutions around the world, including the MoMA and the Nobel Prize Museum. Explore the full collection:

textile softblock
aluminum softblock
paper softblock
LED softwall + softblock