Miami’s Art Week became a hub for the fusion of sports, design, and architecture with the unique collaboration between furniture brand Paulin, Paulin, Paulin and NFL star Stefon Diggs. The event, “Stefon Diggs is in the House,” was showcased at the M Building in Wynwood, a transformed warehouse turned event space, designed by Chad Oppenheim and interior designer Chahan Minassian.
The exhibit, which took place from December 4 to 8, revealed Stefon Diggs’ personal furniture collection alongside a hybrid speaker-sofa prototype created by Paulin. The collection served as an exploration of how sports and design can intersect within the home environment.
According to the team behind the exhibition, the event presented a variety of furniture pieces from Stefon Diggs’ personal collection, marking the blend of athleticism, home design, and innovation.
“By juxtaposing Pierre Paulin’s iconic designs with objects reflecting Diggs’s life and values, this temporary house becomes a space of exploration where design and sport intersect to challenge our understanding of space, identity, and performance.”
One of the most notable pieces in the collection was the orange Video Barnum Couch, designed by Paulin in the 1980s but recently prototyped by the brand with slight modifications. The piece, which was first unveiled during the 2024 Olympic Games in collaboration with Nike, is a geometrically styled couch made of five thin units positioned low to the ground. Each unit features upturned triangular corners serving as backrests. Embedded speakers within these backrests offer an immersive sound experience, aligning with Paulin’s vision of multi-sensory furniture.
The exhibition also featured several other standout pieces such as the red Elysée Floor Lamps, the moss-green Tapis-Siège couch, and a light blue Dune Ensemble couch. The Tapis-Siège, in particular, is a key highlight, referencing a concept Paulin envisioned over 50 years ago.
“Like many innovations, the world was not ready for the Tapis-Siège (Carpet Seat) when [Pierre] conceived the idea over 50 years ago,” said the furniture brand. “The idea came when he started to believe that the future of furniture was in its disappearance – instead, creating ‘programs,’ modular furniture systems that could fluidly facilitate experimental communal experiences of space.”
Additionally, Diggs’ collection was displayed in a dynamic arrangement throughout the M Building’s galleries and outdoors, including the rectangular Angular Moon Table, the scalloped white Alpha Club Chair, and the black leather Declive recliner. A Miami Table, featuring multi-coloured cushions, was displayed outside, showcasing a unit with four benches surrounding a central table, embodying the versatile spirit of Paulin’s design.
The collaboration offered a striking commentary on how furniture and personal artifacts can be more than just functional; they become an integral part of identity and expression. As the team summarized:
“This project demonstrates how furniture and personal artefacts can transform architecture into a home imbued with meaning and individuality.”
Other events during Miami Art Week included the unveiling of the Jaguar electric concept car Type OO, further contributing to the rich intersection of design, innovation, and art in Miami.