Contract - August 2012 - (Page 40)
product focus
One Size Fits All
Allsteel and BMW Group DesignworksUSA present the sleek, multipurpose Clarity chair
As workplaces get smaller, the companies that occupy them face the conundrum of how to make the most of limited space. One solution, dubbed Clarity, is a seating line that can move effortlessly between conference, lounge, and task applications, eliminating the need to specify separate chairs for every space. Born out of collaboration between design consultancy BMW Group DesignworksUSA and Allsteel, Clarity was “a unique development because we didn’t specify a task or multipurpose chair. Our initial requirements instead focused on developing an innovative seating solution targeted for shared spaces throughout the floor plan in support of the way people are working today and tomorrow,” says Darren Keele, product manager for Allsteel. Highly regarded for its forward-thinking concepts and products for clients such as Adidas and Canon, as well as its parent company luxury auto giant BMW, DesignworksUSA began the project as a chop shop of sorts, stripping down chair anatomy to what the designers
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considered to be the necessary parts. “Focusing on a lean design allowed us to celebrate the structural elements as design details with pure and timeless forms,” says senior designer Johannes Lampela. DesignworksUSA further built on these elements to ensure comfort without compromising the bare bones concept. Clarity thus presents a universal aesthetic devoid of unnecessary bells and whistles. It does, however, have weight-activated synchro-tilt and height adjustment. Waterfall edges on the seat and back and a smooth-edge design on the seat frame accommodate multiple postures in teamworking scenarios, from talking over the shoulder to turning sideways in the seat to chat with neighbors. Offered in eight colors, uninterrupted mesh forms a breathable seat and back. The chair is finished with a prong or caster base. —Sheila Kim allsteeloffice.com reader service No. 220
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july | august 2012
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Contract - August 2012
Contract - August 2012
Editorial
Industry News
Product Focus: One Size Fits All
Product Focus: By the Hand of the Painter
Product Focus: The Future Is Bright
Product Briefs: Team Players
best of NeoCon®
Sanofi Headquarters
Microsoft Vienna
Gensler Bangkok
St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort
International Design and Practice: Lessons from an Expert Abroa
Competition: Inspirations Awards
Practice: Gensler Exchange
Designers Select: Fabric
Sources
Ad Index
Exhibition: KarlssonWilker Exposes the Many Facets of Wolf-Gordon
Contract - August 2012
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