leading british furniture maker benchmark presents a new collection of furniture by award-winning american architect david rockwell at 100% design from 18 – 21 september, during the london design festival.
the sage collection is designed for office and commercial/hospitality environments as well as the home, with a specific focus on human health and well-being within the built environment and meets the standards required for well certified buildings.
18-21 september 2019
wed 10am-5pm, thurs 10am-9pm, fri – sat 10am-5pm
olympia london
hammersmith road
kensington
W14 8UX
pioneering ergonomics company honors the legacy of designer niels diffrient & the first ever self-adjusting chair with activations around the world and throughout the year.
this year marks the twentieth anniversary of niels diffrient’s freedom chair. launched by humanscale, the freedom chair revolutionized the seating industry as the first ever self-adjusting chair. it is revered for its elegant simplicity, functionality and timeless design. to mark the occasion, humanscale is launching a year long initiative that will include various events and activations around the world.
“niels shared our belief that form flows from function, and therefore, created something that is honest, timeless and as relevant in new york as it is in helsinki and singapore,” says humanscale ceo and founder robert king.
introduced in 1999, the freedom was the first chair to remove the traditional manual knobs and levers and replace them with the sitter’s body weight and the laws of physics. this resulting self-adjusting mechanism allows users to move freely from posture to posture without thinking about it. diffrient effectively reinvented the modern task chair and changed the way people sit.
shortly after its launch, the freedom was praised by the new york times for ‘setting the gold standard’ in seating. today sales total over 2 million pieces. freedom has also won 10 international awards and been featured in close to 50 tv shows and films.
“perhaps more interesting is that the self-adjusting mechanism is increasingly relevant in today’s work environment. in fact, now, twenty years later, the large furniture companies have finally launched self-adjusting chairs claiming it’s the future of seating. that’s just another testament to niels’ foresight,” adds king.
the iconic chair is set to begin an official world tour throughout 2019, making monthly appearances in cities and important events around the globe, including milan (salone del mobile), london (clerkenwell design week), new york (icff) and chicago (neocon) and more. as the first chair to adapt to real people and real movement, these activations will give trade and consumers the opportunity to personally experience and celebrate freedom’s intuitive ergonomic design and the legacy of niels diffrient.
[ humanscale ]
humanscale leverages new technology and functional design to transform traditional offices into active, intelligent workspaces. as the leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance ergonomic products, humanscale improves the health and comfort of work life. committed to making a net-positive impact on the earth as well as our customers, humanscale offers award-winning products designed with a focus on function, simplicity and longevity.
DesignApplause spoke to spanish designer patricia urquiola in the andreu world chicago showroom during neocon. we talk about her the nuez seat collection, which obtained a hip award in the category hospitality: seating at neocon. the chair is described as enveloping, suggestive, warm and at the same time technological. made of injected thermoplastic, it offers different options for the shell interior: fully upholstered, with upholstered seat or with padded seat and backrest. the different bases versions – four wooden legs, aluminum star, five casters or cantilever – come with a range of ten distinct colors for the shell and numerous upholstery options for the seat and backrest. a versatile design, capable of integrating into any type of corporate environment and also at home. the chair launched at salone del mobile 2017.
[patricia urquiola] we’re speaking about a new product introduction, nuez, which means ‘nut’ in english, from valencia-based [ andreu world ]. i’m very proud of our relationship, one we’ve kept for years that’s grown into friendships. we now know each other’s approach well enough where words easily translate into feelings and shapes.
why do this chair? they asked for formal and discrete, very gentle, very easy. though the company does incredible work in other materials, they were looking for a new material not in their workspace portfolio. our discussions led to plastic and they know that my injection approach is always striving for little details that are a bit curious and distinctive. what evolved was a shell concept.
we liked the concept of one shell using two elements, because of the way the two elements, like two papers, came together, like in a nut. from the back of the shell the elements created little wings which felt natural and just right. we pleated the plastic shell for aesthetics and textures giving it a materiality, a sense of touch. compared to our prior collection called nub, which was very… crafted, nuez represents a completely dissimilar notion.
[DesignApplause]nuez is crisp yet shapely. very light and does feel good to the touch. what’s her character like?
[PU] both my company and andreu philosophies are similar on many fronts. we’re all concerned, about who we work with and the way we proceed. we work with nature with a high regard for sustainability and social responsibility. we’re efficient, we produce functionality, durability, timelessness and our work, well it looks like our work. and in the end i’m very proud of this project.
[DA] what’s big on your mind right now? what’s important?
[PU] this is a conversation about a process. a company gives you a brief, you give an answer and you work in this kind of duet. it’s a beautiful established way a designer works within an industrial project. now i’m not a young designer, i’m a mature designer who’s been working this way for awhile. lately i’m doing a lot of experimentation with a group at haworth contributing to define a future vision for the group, creating an umbrella over everything. // in 2015, patricia became cassina’s art director tasked with creative management.
in the beginning it was an object and then a collection. but now we also talk about the relations of objects and space, the experiences, the services the company can offer, about everything! i’m working this way with cassina, haworth, mutina. and with andreu world i’m not doing that but i’m a good friend and they’re accustomed to my opinions and conversations. these conversations are important because they always lead to something new.
in this conversational role, the designer operates in this huge space, to re-think things, to ask more questions, it’s so open ended, so many possibilities. really, at this point the only bad decision is not to try something. and we’re just beginning.
<strong>[DA] stay tuned. [ formafantasma ] (andrea trimarchi and simone farresin) while lecturing at the school of the art institute of chicago was asked if designers are important, is design important. simone said this… the designer and the design is not important in and of themselves. formafantasma’s projects are complete once they leave the studio. it’s rare to know if their projects are a success and are rarely asked to improve what they created. their business model does not involve the relationship you’re experiencing right now.
in contrast simone felt the entrepreneur is more likely to be important. there’s a degree of control over a long period of time whereby something important could evolve.
[PU] “design thinking”, for me a label used too much, has become like a big inclusive net over everything in the world of design. i feel one starts as a specialist in design, like an industrial designer. for those who grow into more systemic integrated spaces the space opens up to expand your reach over the project. the more aspects you touch in sense the more important you are.
we can be a kind of catalyst in between society and ideals for living. we’re not only solving problems, we’re also questioning a lot of problems. i like the idea that this is a new attitude for designers: question and not only solving.
entering its 30th year of production, icff ny, north america’s platform for global design, will be held at the jacob k. javits center 20 > 23 may 2018. doubling in size over the past three years, icff hosts over 800 international exhibitors and attracts over 36,000 industry peers in the residential, commercial and hospitality sectors. designers, architects, developers and better retailers gather to view the world’s finest and most innovative, highly focused selections under one roof.
designapplause is in the ligne roset chicago showroom located two short blocks from the mart, chatting with antoine roset, executive vice president and fifth generation roset.
[designapplause] we’re told that ligne roset is getting into the contract/commercial business space because of the company’s manufacturing capabilities. do you wish to tell us that story?
[antoine roset] actually, the funny part is that we started with the contract business. we’ve always been doing it in europe, back when the roset company started in 1860. with my grandfather in charge the first thing we did as a manufacturer was contract, working with universities, dorms, both institutional as well as hospitality projects. contract and hospitality was in fact our first business category.
we then moved to residential in the 1960s believing we could better control our own distribution and grow our business. during the 1980s, in the u.s., we developed our brand in residential much more than the contract business. we did this furnishing apartments, giving americans access to our design. for the past four years i see an opportunity to reintroduce our contract expertise in the u.s. and in latin america as well. i feel confident in knowing our past experience and manufacturing could again position our company as major player in contract and hospitality.
with our design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities we again have in the u.s. both residential and contract offerings.
[da] i just met the new owner of the chicago showroom, jose rodriguez. is there a new story regarding the chicago showroom?
[ar] i think the story to tell about jose and this showroom is a human story. we like to say when you become an owner, you get to be part of the family. jose has been in this business with us forever. the first time i met him was like 10-11 years ago and we had promoted him as a manager in miami. he became the owner of the atlanta store 5 years ago. and now, he’s here in the chicago store. to show that it’s a human story it’s about jose being a natural as a new owner. and he also possesses an ability to showcase a new service and a different experience. and as such, something much closer to what we have in mind, namely a new store. a new display. very much like what you can see all around the world with the new stores we are doing and renovating. in chicago, you’re going to see the best of what we do right now.
[da] alright, that’s cool. anything else you want to talk about?
[ar] i can talk about everything you want as long as it’s about furniture. i’ve always been very interested in markets and we can talk about the chicago market a little bit more. we’ve been at this location for 10 years and have learned that chicago’s a very interesting and important market. why? chicago is a very modern city with depth as you can see by its architecture. it’s always been very turned towards the future and not to the past. that’s what makes it very attractive to me. for me, it’s probably the nicest city in the u.s. you can quote me on that. (maybe after new york where i live. let’s put it that way.) chicago is green. it’s a beautiful city. there are two rivers, the lake. i don’t care about cold weather, so it’s not a problem for me. when you’re here you can feel that people really like to talk about the architecture here. i mean look, neocon is here and not in las vegas.
[da] right, neocon. and a new contract message and what appears to be a new store in what is a tremendously convenient offsite location.
[ar] yes. we’re definitely going to use this location more and more. we made mention last year, slowly but surely. the idea is to communicate with the contact world and the hospitality world, sharing with them. we are not the big, big player and we don’t want to be either. we don’t want to compete with them. we want to be the small player that can bring something different. that can give different options. that can give what we do the most: our quality, our knowledge. we are happy to share this with everyone. we have no intention of ignoring our residential business, make no mistake. but more and more, we are going to develop things around the contract and the hospitality business. it’s only the second year. this year has been a bit crazy because we are reopening the store and doing neocon at the same time. so it’s been quite challenging, but next year…
[da] then next year will be boring. (laughs)
[ar] hah! next year won’t be boring. next year will be even more interesting. we’ll have more time to prepare for neocon which is even better. we’re going to look forward to next year.
above> transcend by suzanne tick for skyline design
a neocon 2017 runs from 12 to 14 june at the mart in chicago. at-a-glance preview…
3form / 10 – 142
a collaboration between 3form and brooklyn-based designer louis lim of makingworks has resulted in the creation of mobius, exclusively on view at wanted design in new york city in may 2017. now check out the latest at neocon.
andreu world / 10 – 132
invites you to discover our new collections at neocon 2017. we look forward to welcoming you.
save the date: please join us for the andreu world fiesta. this year’s event will feature traditional spanish tapas and wine along with a very special live music performance.
arper / 339
arper presents their 2017 collections at neocon. stop by for a coffee and explore the new products at their chicago showroom.
buzzispace / 10 – 111
at neocon 2017 on both the first and the 10th floor of the merchandise mart, buzzispace will realize its comprehensive approach to design for happy, healthy living, incorporating a range of furniture options, and serious acoustic solutions.
carnegie / 10 – 112 life is colorful with the roy g biv collection! the energetic collection spans the full spectrum with high performance upholstery and digitally printed wide width sheers that celebrate color at its very best.
designtex / 1032A
in business, collaboration is everything—but creating the right balance between openness and privacy is a challenge. casper™ cloaking technology by designtex is an architectural film for glass walls that obscures digital screens to outside view. it acts as a smart shield to ensure data privacy, while providing the peace of mind to collaborate freely in any working environment. this is a breakthrough that will unleash space design in the networked modern world. casper is the only cloaking technology of its kind anywhere. you have to see it to believe it.
hbf / 387 thomas lykke/oeo has collaborated with hbf to create the studio table series.
haworth / 312
come see bluescape and global commercial furnishings leader haworth an innovative new collaboration space at neocon 2017.
humanscale / 351 humanscale and the living product challenge. talking about sustainability is easy. what’s more challenging is creating a net positive impact. especially when it’s being audited and validated by the international living future institute.
herman miller / 321
when bill stumpf and don chadwick designed the original aeron, they combined a deep knowledge of human-centered design with innovative, never-before-seen technology to deliver a chair unlike any other. just as iconic films and albums are updated for new mediums, standards, and audiences, aeron has now been remastered to meet the needs of today’s work, workers, and work environments. by coupling co-designer don chadwick’s vision with herman miller’s latest research around the science of sitting, the new aeron works better than ever before—so you can too.
ki / 1181
join the ruckus at neocon 2017! get a first-hand look at how ki‘s ruckus collection is disrupting the design paradigm. in addition, we’ll be showcasing innovative product solutions developed using the principles of human-centered design.
keilhauer / 373 luno is for reflecting. a visually striking lounge chair that allows you to move, sit and communicate in your own style. design by eoos.
maharam / 1188
maharam design studio decided to develop a substrate: apt introduces a new polymer that combines a silicone face with a polyurethane-and-silicone mid-layer to maharam’s offering of nonwoven upholstery textiles. using a proprietary formulation. apt is the result of five years of research and development.
mohawk / 377
go behind-the-scenes with mohawk group for a sneak preview of the bold and stylish floorcoverings they’ll be showcasing this year. take a peek at our entire lineup.
okamura / 11 – 124 alt piazza is an office furniture of the future that turns office shared space into a place where you can work comfortably.
steelcase / 300 steelcase workplace advisor empowers organizations to measure the effectiveness of the workplace, and improve it based on easy-to-understand, actionable data accessible through an online dashboard.
teknion / 10 -48 around is fully featured, yet clever new new task chair. hidden innovations facilitate a simple chair design with a light, minimalist form. designed by justus kolberg, around is remarkably comfortable, versatile and easy to use.
vitra / 1192 vitra has been developing and producing office chairs for over 40 years. its first model, the vitramat, set new industry standards, and many of its successors have continued to revolutionize workplace seating. to accompany the market launch of the pacific chair, am chair and id chair update, we are introducing the task chair campaign: a new digital tool that provides existing and prospective customers with an inspiring presentation of these chairs.
wilkhahn’s new metrik cantilever chair stands apart for its sculptural shape and contours which bring modern automotive design to mind. polygonal shapes and rounded edges are part of a distinctive body which is defined by form-fit assembly of the tubular steel frame and seat component. design by whiteID.
please join us for the andreu world fiesta neocon. this year’s event will feature traditional spanish tapas and wine along with a very special live music performance.
andreu world showroom / 10th floor / suite 10-132 / merchandise mart
Dog sledding. Hanging out at the Oslo Opera House. Eating, drinking and sharing stories around a giant fire in a teepee. For a group of izzy+ sales representatives, it’s just another day at the office.
izzy+, the people-centric Michigan furniture design group that lives by the ethos “Better Together,” formed an alliance with Norwegian company HAG back in 2004. Ever since, izzy+’s staff have been making regular trips across the pond to HAG’s HQ in Oslo and main plant in the village of Roros to learn about Scandinavian culture.
HAG’s design philosophy, which reflects some of the central principles of Norwegian life, is focused on the importance of balance, movement, and a deep respect for the environment. izzy+ employees say being able to visit their sister company at its headquarters provided a unique perspective on their design process. “At HAG they have a very holistic approach to everything—the environment, corporate responsibility, ergonomics, design—it’s all there in every chair,” says Laura Connell, whose based in the Chicago izzy+ showroom. “It was great to see it all in action, both in how they work and how they live.”
Rune Akselberg, Vice President of Sales and Market Development and a Norway native, says the juxtaposition of the working environment with the natural beauty of the Norwegian landscape makes a huge impact. “When you see the elk and the reindeer drinking from the stream right outside the HAG plant, you understand that everything is connected,” he said.
an izzy+ / HAG collaboration: HAG Capisco Puls seating, pictured with Dewey 6-Top tables
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