JANUS et Cie Brings Biophilic Design to the Fore With Expansive Product Offerings
“While the importance of biophilic design has been rising in the last decade, at JANUS et Cie we have always designed products to create a positive and sustained connection between nature and built environments,” shares Carolina Zhang, vice president of product design and development for the luxury outdoor furniture brand. Before the concept of a “plant parent” even existed, JANUS et Cie had been engineering its offerings to endure exposure to the elements, whether uncovered in the outdoors or within greenery- and light-filled interiors. “We have always been motivated to create products that have a long lifecycle and use materials that are natural or recyclable. Enhancing the direct experience with nature for people where they live, work, relax, play, and learn is our constant goal,” Zhang says, furthering the notion of all-encompassing biophilic design.
From textural upholstery to metallic finishes, JANUS et Cie enables designers to access a wide range of products, easing the process of creating soothing yet enduring spaces that invite a sense of calm. “As indoor environments continue to more closely match the outdoor landscape and climate,” Zhang notes, “it’s more important than ever to use materials that can withstand the elements.” Handwoven JANUSfiber® furnishings, for example, are UV-, stain-, and bacteria-resistant making them amenable to both humid coastal areas and snowy mountainscapes. The brand’s offerings also feature performance fabrics with a solution-dyed yarn that creates a surface designed to resist microbes, soiling, abrasion, and fading from UV light. JANUS et Cie also equips designers to easily transform areas with extensive foot traffic into greenery-filled oases using products made with high-grade aluminum, noted for its durability and resistance to rust and moisture damage.
JANUS et Cie’s array of furnishings also incorporate earthly materials, like sustainably harvested premium teak and rattan, as well as natural stone tabletops. The sustainably grown Grade A teak maintains its rich heartwood honey tones, which deepen and patina with age. “Nature is a prolific design inspiration for our team,” Zhang reports, highlighting accessories modeled after sea flora and birch trees, sculptures that reflect the shapes of vivid fruits, and finishes and fibers that mirror the many dynamic hues and textures found in nature.
