Where does furniture end and art begin? For architect-designer David Bitton, the question is beside the point. His latest creation, the ‘Floating Sofa’ — a limited-edition piece developed in collaboration with artist Astro and currently on display at the Aston Martin showroom in Monaco — uses 45-degree mirrors in place of legs to create the illusion of a sofa suspended in infinite space. It is, like everything Bitton makes, both an everyday object and something else entirely.
What started as a passion eventually became a full-time career for David Bitton—an extremely successful one at that. Blurring the lines of reality, his signature lies in illusion. The architect-designer is constantly in motion, always searching for new inspiration. What he creates goes beyond design; it is art in its purest form. With his latest project, the ‘Floating Sofa’, currently on display at the Aston Martin showroom in Monaco, David Bitton, in collaboration with artist Astro, has created a piece that plays with perspective, offering the impression of an infinite view.
“I’ve been working with the artist Astro for several years and greatly appreciate his sense of perspective,” David Bitton tells Monaco Life. “We previously created a rug together where you feel as though you are stepping inside the piece. The Floating Sofa came from one of our conversations: I had sketched the idea of a suspended sofa and asked him to develop it with me. The concept was to create a sense of infinite perspective, using mirrors in the armrests, which also serve as the structural support in place of legs. It was a complex project, but the 45-degree mirrors create an optical effect where the sofa appears to continue endlessly.”
Design without walls: Bringing art, cars and Monaco together
With only 25 numbered and signed pieces, the ‘Floating Sofa’ is a limited-edition design work, yet it remains visible to all in the window of the Aston Martin showroom. For David, “design is not something that should be hidden; it needs to be seen. It is an everyday object—a sofa is a sofa. Of course, it comes with a certain price.”
At the same time, it remains accessible in its own way. David explains that a young visitor recently came with his mother and said he found it beautiful, while she added that she was introducing him to design so he could one day collect pieces himself. For David, this is also what design is about: transmitting taste and culture. He grew up in a similar environment, with an artist father and regular visits to galleries and museums. Design, he believes, should not be confined to galleries—it can exist anywhere as an installation meant to be seen and experienced.
His work ultimately sits at the intersection of function and sculpture, an approach he sees as the very essence of design. Or, in his own words: “Design must be both beautiful and functional.”
When luxury automobiles inspire design
Why did David Bitton choose a luxury automobile showroom to present his latest design pieces? The answer is simple: for him, the automobile represents the ultimate design exercise—and arguably the most complex one. Beyond the elegance of its lines, a car embodies a high level of technical precision, from aerodynamics to lighting and wind dynamics.
“For me as an architect, the car is an extremely complex object. It shares a clear parallel with design, which must be both functional and aesthetically refined,” he explains. “I am particularly drawn to the shape of headlights; they are fascinating because they extend the identity of the car and set its tone—whether sporty or more classic. They are the ‘gaze’ of the vehicle, reflecting its personality. It is therefore a very precise exercise. During my studies, I often drew inspiration from the automotive world.”
Beyond this personal connection, the project also finds a broader coherence between the ‘Floating Sofa’ and the automotive universe. Astro has previously worked within the car industry, applying his signature to racing cars, while Monaco Art Week counts Aston Martin as an official partner, with the ‘Floating Sofa’ featured in its showroom during this important artistic moment.
“Everything aligns: an artist rooted in automotive design, an installation presented within Aston Martin’s universe, and the brand’s close link to Monaco Art Week. Then there is the DB reference—the iconic Aston Martin initials, and coincidentally, mine as well: David Bitton. In that sense, this collaboration did not happen by chance; it came together naturally for all these reasons,” concludes the artist.
See also:
Monaco Art Week 2026: from rare masterpieces to bold contemporary visions
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