TACTILE LIVING: Inhabiting Through the Senses.
During 3daysofdesign, Sancal and Paper Collective presented TACTILE LIVING, a collaborative exhibition exploring the emotional power of the spaces we inhabit through art, objects, and furniture.
Tactile Living also proposed a reflection on tactility as a way of relating to our surroundings. An invitation to consider how materials, textures, forms, and colours shape our perception of space and influence the way we inhabit it. Tactility extends beyond physical touch; it is equally connected to a space’s ability to generate emotion, connection, and meaning.
Paper Collective’s welcoming apartment was once again transformed into an exhibition journey composed of five distinct environments, defined by Scandinavian sensibility and Sancal’s playful character. Two cultures with distinct identities, united by a shared understanding of design: attention to detail, appreciation for materials, the pursuit of originality, and the belief that objects can enhance our everyday experience.
Among the new designs presented by Sancal were Palma by Marc Morro; the playful Twins lounge chairs by Júlia Esqué; and the exceptionally comfortable Mimoso sofa by Note (design studio), all integrated into the different atmospheres of the exhibition as part of a shared narrative. However, the undisputed protagonist was Gradas, the first collaboration between Sancal and the Dutch studio UNS.
Presented in The Weaving Room alongside the jacquard tapestries developed by Paper Collective, Gradas proposed a new approach to collective seating. Its stepped structure brings indoors the energy of public squares and grandstands, urban spaces conceived for informal gathering and spontaneous interaction. Inspired by this typology, the Dutch studio designed an architectural seating system with a strong social dimension, encouraging new ways of occupying shared spaces and fostering human connection. Alongside the architectural bench GRADA XL configuration, the sofa (GRADA M) and armchair (GRADA S) versions were also presented at a smaller scale, suitable for both contract and residential projects.
The exhibition was complemented by a programme of activities that extended the experience beyond the furniture and objects on display. A collage workshop by Mentsen invited visitors to engage directly with the creative process, demonstrating how vastly different outcomes can emerge from the same starting point, while artist Lolita Pelegrime transformed the space through a live painting session. Meanwhile, the talks with designers offered a deeper insight into the ideas, processes, and collaborations behind each project.
These conversations became a natural extension of the themes explored by the exhibition. If Tactile Living spoke about experience, materials, and human relationships, the talks focused on what remains invisible: the ideas, research, and processes that precede every design outcome.
In the conversation between Note, Spacon, Paper Collective, and Sancal, the discussion revolved around those moments surrounding the creative process that ultimately shape a project as much as the final object itself. The speakers reflected on the importance of multidisciplinary teams and the way different disciplines nourish one another, the richness brought by diverse cultural perspectives, and the need to resist repetitive formulas in order to continue evolving. After all, it is challenges that drive design forward. The conversation also addressed the responsibility of creating objects that endure over time, rooted in authenticity, creativity, and a conscious use of resources.
The second talk brought together Ben van Berkel, founder of UNS, Stina Löfgren from the studio’s product design team, and Esther Castaño-López, CEO of Sancal, all of whom were involved in the development of Gradas. Beyond presenting this architectural seating family, the conversation became a reflection on how architecture can extend far beyond buildings into furniture, textiles, and even the smallest details. Scale, after all, is irrelevant. Van Berkel advocated for a holistic vision of design, where every decision, even small, contributes to creating a coherent experience. In an era dominated by images and screens, he also championed the value of texture, physical contact, and sensory experience, reminding the audience that the true quality of an object is only fully revealed when it comes into contact with people.
The participation of ByBorre in this conversation, with whom UNS has developed three new textiles, highlighted how textile innovation can serve as a tool for exploring new relationships between architecture, materiality, and experience.
Beyond sharing a space for a few days, both brands share a common approach to design, one rooted in curiosity, openness to other disciplines, and the conviction that objects can generate meaningful experiences.
With Tactile Living, Paper Collective and Sancal reaffirmed the importance of slowing down, observing, touching, conversing, and rediscovering the sensory dimension of the spaces we inhabit.
We would like to thank the Paper Collective team for their warm hospitality and for making us feel part of the family.
