No. 11 Sofa

Colombo was the centre of Geoffrey Bawa’s social and work life, and his home at No. 11, 33rd lane, was at its heart. For nearly four decades he hosted friends, colleagues, clients, visitors and a range of other people here. The No. 11 Sofa was one of several pieces he designed to accommodate them.

The sofa seat was designed on the basis of a standard size 1960s Sri Lankan mattress and a timber framed hardboard backrest was added to it. It aptly reflects Bawa’s style, combining existing elements to create something simple, contemporary and suitable to the overall design of his space.

Heavy coconut fibre seat cushions were placed on the sofa to reduce the seat depth and additional square cushions provided for back and arm support. The sofa’s signature black-and-white checkerboard fabric was sourced from Barefoot, the textile atelier founded by Bawa’s longtime friend and collaborator Barbara Sansoni. The black-and-white checkerboard theme can also be seen in the floor pattern of the Garden Room at Lunuganga.

Phantom Hands’ re-edition comes in two versions - one which retains the sofa's original dimensions and a scaled-down version with reduced depth, making it compatible for contemporary use and for people of different heights. The black and white upholstery fabric is from Barefoot in a special unbleached white to mimic the patina of the sofa fabric of the original piece at No. 11, 33rd lane. The handwoven fabric is reinforced with a knit backing for added strength and durability.