Supaform's Transit Encounters Reimagines the Conversation Pit at Milan Design Week 2026

At Alcova's 2026 Milan Design Week event, Paris-based design studio Supaform, led by Maxim Shcherbakov, presented Transit Encounters, a large green seating installation that reinterprets the mid-century conversation pit for contemporary use. Unlike traditional recessed pits, Transit Encounters sits above ground, featuring plush velvet green cushions arranged around a low table with a built-in turntable. The design incorporates varied seat heights, sloped backs, handlebars, and upholstered floors to encourage flexible lounging and social interaction. Shcherbakov explained that he was inspired by the 'aura' of a sofa—the space people naturally occupy around it—and sought to extend the sofa beyond its physical boundaries. The installation became a hub for talks with Design Hotels and DJ sets with Esthetic Joys, with visitors initially hesitant but eventually embracing the space, even sitting next to musicians during performances. Shcherbakov noted that the design's above-ground structure avoids the safety hazards of traditional pits, which TIME magazine had declared a 'Fall of the Pit' in 1963. The project is part of designboom's MODES OF HABITATION chapter, exploring how spaces can reshape communal living.