At Living Sound, SOFACOMPANY and Bang & Olufsen transformed a Kramerville showroom into an immersive Johannesburg design experience built around comfort, sound and connection.
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Held at the Bang & Olufsen Experience Centre during Design Week South Africa, the private activation invited guests to experience contemporary design through more than its appearance. Furniture, immersive audio and somatic storytelling shaped an evening focused on how a space feels.
Furniture with a point of view
Rather than presenting a conventional product showcase, Living Sound placed SOFACOMPANY pieces at the centre of the room. Couches replaced yoga mats for a sensory session led by somatic breathwork facilitator Lesego Mapeka, connecting the feeling of settling into a seat with the soundscape around it.
The collection was introduced as a cast of characters: Paula, designed by Line Nevers Krabbenhøft; Otis, by Cathrine Rudolph; and Babette, by Katrine Bjørn. Greta, Judi and Daphne completed the line-up, each carrying its own invitation to pause, gather or unwind.
“SOFACOMPANY is built on the belief that a sofa is more than an object. It is where people come together, unwind, and make the everyday feel like home. Living Sound was the natural way to bring that belief to life, because it allowed guests to experience our pieces through the feeling they create, not only through their form.”Jonno Sherwin, Managing Director, SOFACOMPANY South Africa
A listening room, not a showroom
At the Experience Centre, sound became part of the room’s architecture rather than background. Bang & Olufsen’s audio shaped the pace and atmosphere, while the sofas created places to pause, gather and connect. Together, the brands brought furniture and sound into a single experience of contemporary living.
“Bang & Olufsen has always worked at the meeting point of sound, design and craftsmanship. Living Sound made that intersection tangible. By allowing sound to shape the room and the pace of the experience, we could show how audio and furniture together can create a more personal and lasting connection.”Gareth Payne, Managing Director, Bang & Olufsen South Africa
Design that invites people in
Living Sound reframed the showroom as a story guests could take part in: the sofa set the scene, the sound carried its mood, and the experience asked people to engage through comfort, breath and memory. It offered a fresh way to explore the role well-considered furniture and sound can play in the spaces we share.
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