Issue 59. Spring 2015. The Science v Art Issue.
Design Quarterly unravels the debate between science + art in the business of design.
Schiavello challenges the open-plan model, to lead the future of dynamic working environments.
Alexander Lotersztain Own World x Bend Goods USAWilkhahnChristopher BootsZip WaterFEBRIKCoco FlipLaufen Symposium 2015 SeehoSu HassellRoss DidierFlynn Talbot Sydney Indesign 2015 Clerkenwell 2015.
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FREEDOM TO FOCUSA
ctivity-based working is obviously a solid model. Maximised communication, increased ability to collaborate and an over-all transparent environment are just a few of the many benefits.
It’s no surprise then, that now-days 9 out of 10 commercial projects require an ABW office plan. But one size does not fit all, and while we have certainly gained a lot from the layout of open-plan, we have lost things, too.
“Flexible workspaces that primarily focus on connectivity and communication are often lacking sufficient private areas,” says Schiavello Director, Anton Schiavello, “Therefore acoustic considerations are a very important aspect in open-plan environments.”
Off the back of these common complaints, multi-disciplinary design house, Schiavello have created the Focus collection; a curated selection of soft barriers and booths that provides a quiet refuge for a private conversation or just to think. Focus provides a place for easy communication or retreat and relaxation, while creating an ideal working space for concentration, even within high-traffic, open-plan environments.
Sure, the market is noisy with brands claiming to solve the issues of ABW, so how is Focus different?
Designed by famed Australian workspace planning and product designer, Nick Tennant, the Focus collection is a new furniture typology, which deconstructs the issues of open-plan by focusing on people and how they use products and spaces, rather than the spaces alone.
The high curved panels form a shield from the surrounding environment, absorbing noise and creating a quiet and intimate place of retreat with dampened acoustics. Allowing users to be free from concern about being seen behind and shutting out the gazes of others, Focus provides privacy and a shelter from visual distractions and noise.
But solving those issues is only half the problem. Focus is truly unique in that it not only solves the problems of noise, concentration and refuge, it – more importantly – gives power back to the user by
Empowering users is the future of open-plan. Industry pioneers, Schiavello, give power back to the people to define the future of dynamic workplaces.
This page top / Focus modular worksystem, a new furniture typology for open spaces, giving users the “freedom to focus”, designed by Nick Tennant for SchiavelloThis page bottom / “Stand Out From the Crowd” conceptual reference, sourced from Dani Luis @ Blender Artists Community
providing them with the tools to tailor the system to their specific needs and work modalities.
“There is an increasing consensus that retreat spaces are critical to successful activity-based workplaces,” notes Tennant. “We continue to observe our clients opting for a “menu” of work settings that reflect the varying work modes and activities a typical knowledge worker may transition through in a single day. Having identified these trends, Schiavello developed the Focus collection to offer a range of work settings that support activities requiring reflection, discretion or high levels of concentration. A range of different levels of enclosure with optional acoustic treatments and functional accessories were designed for Focus, allowing it to be tailored to clients specific needs.”
Empowering the user to choose the space they need, the units come equipped with power and data connections and an expanding range of accessories including signage blade, coat and bag hook and a splash back available in a variety of finishes such as leather or pinable board. An innovation in the furniture sector, Krossi height-adjustable tables brings sit-stand work surfaces to Focus.
Belonging to Schiavello’s Knowledge Collection of furniture typologies, Focus is a strong reminder that Schiavello not only understands the needs and demands of various open-plan formats, but more importantly, how those formats effect a diverse cross-section of people and what they need to perform; offering them “freedom to focus”. And that, is a truly valuable quality – not to mention an important distinction – for anyone working in commercial design today. +Words by sophia Watson
schiavello.com/focus // (61 3) 9330 8888
EdITorIal
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Design / Skye Molyneux and Eva KraneBrand / Bleux Supplier / Designer Rugsdesignerrugs.com.au1300 802 561
09 COLOUR WOOD COLLECTION
Design / Scholten & BaijingsBrand / Karimoku New StandardSupplier / Stylecraft stylecraft.com.au (61 2) 9355 0000
10 KAYT CABANNA
Design / Ivan WoodsBrand + Supplier / Schiavelloschiavello.com (61 3) 9330 8888
11 WOODY
Design / Fattorini+Rizzini + PartnersBrand / PiancaSupplier / MEIZAI meizai.com.au (61 3) 9279 2888
12 ARTEK & MIKE MEIRè: STOOL 60 fOR ARTEK 80Th ANNIvERSARY
Design / Alvar Aalto, colour customised by Mike MeirèsBrand / artekSupplier / anibouanibou.com.au 1300 264 268
13 TBCR BLUE ROCKER
Design / Adam LynchBrand / Studio of Adam LynchSupplier / Catapult Designcatapultdesign.net.au (61 2) 8001 6646
14 BETTY ARMChAIR
Design / Christoph JenniBrand / MaxDesignSupplier / Cafe Culture + Insitu cafecultureinsitu.com.au (61 2) 9699 8577
01 hIvE + PINCETTES
Design / Luciano Dell’Orefice Brand / True DesignSupplier / Chairbizchairbiz.com1300 888434
02 AxOR BOUROULLEC RANGE
Design / Ronan and Erwan BouroullecBrand + Supplier / Hansgrohehansgrohe.com.au(61 3) 9811 9971
03 ThE DROP ChAIR
Design / Arne JacobsenBrand / Fritz HansenSupplier / Cult Designspacefurniture.com.au(61 2) 8339 7588
04 LOvE (ME) TENDER SOfA
Design / Patricia UrquiolaBrand / MorosoSupplier / HUB Furniturehubfurniture.com.au(61 2) 9217 0700
05 TRIANGLES, RAZZLE DAZZLE AND UNIfORM MÉLANGE TExTILES
Design / Triangles by Bertjan Pot, Razzle Dazzle by Sylvain Willenz, Uniform Mélange by FEBRIK in houseBrand + Supplier / FEBRIKfebrik.com (61) 413 656 035
06 LT04 COLOUR LIGhT
Design / Daniel Rybakken and Andreas EngesvikBrand / E15Supplier / Living Edgelivingedge.com.au1300 132 154
07 .04 TASK ChAIR
Design / Maarten van SeverenBrand / VitraSupplier / Space Furniturespacefurniture.com.au(61 2) 8339 7588
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05 SV MARBLE PENDANTS
Design / Studio Vit Brand / &TraditionSupplier / Great Dane Contractgreatdanecontract.com1300 432 632
06 WING TILE
Design + Brand / BOLONSupplier / The Andrews Grouptheandrewsgroup.com.au(61 3) 9827 1311
07 ME Too IN chARcoAL
Design + Brand / Paul TownsinSupplier / Catapult Designcatapultdesign.net.au (61 2) 8001 6646
08 DWIFABR SMEG 60cM DIShWAShER
Design, Brand + Supplier / Smeg smeg.com.au(61 2) 8667 4888
09 UNIoN FoREVER TABLE
Design, Brand + Supplier / Elliot Bastianon elliotbastianon.com(61) 421 735 399
01 ToT STooL, RIchARD & ToNY BAR STooL, JUIcY TABLE, TURN TABLE
Design + Brand / Bella Wood Workshop Supplier / Cafe Culture + Insitu cafecultureinsitu.com.au (61 2) 9699 8577
02 VENIcE RANGE
Design + Brand / OmvivoSupplier / Reece and Schiavelloreece.com.au, schiavello.com(61 3) 9274 0000 (Reece)(61 3) 9330 8888 (Schiavello)
03 MoLo cLoUD FLooR & TABLE LAMPS
Design + Brand / Molo DesignSupplier / SeehoSuseehosu.com.au(61) 413 610 790
04 cRoSS PENDANT, hAWk TABLE & TANGERINE chAIR
Design / Simon JamesBrand / ResidentSupplier / DISTRICTdistrict.com.au(61 8) 9388 1855
10 kRoSSI DESk
Design, Brand + Supplier / Schiavelloschiavello.com(61 3) 9330 8888
11 TooBI TALL BASIN MIxER
Design, Brand + Supplier / Kohlerkohler.com.au1800 564537
12 hERRINGBoNE cARPET
Design, Brand + Supplier / Shaw Contract Groupshawcontractgroup.com.au1800 556 302
13 BENchWoRk SPINE
Design, Brand + Supplier / Krost Business Furniture krost.com.au(61 2) 9557 3055
14 REAL GooD chAIR
Design, Brand + Supplier / Blu Dot bludot.com.au(61 2) 9313 5400
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IFI Interiors Declaration MelbourneOn 15 May 2015, Melbourne officially adopted the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) Declaration along with the Design Institute of Australia. The Proclamation states that: “The City of Melbourne recognises the interior built environment as a significant and integral part of architecture and urban life. It is proud to adopt this declaration alongside many other cities worldwide.”Since its inception in 2011, the Declaration has been adopted by 114 cities around the world including New York, Buenos Aires, Taipei, Montreal, Kuala Lumpur and Sydney.This is a huge coup not just for Australian design, but the global industry, which has been given a confident voice through the IFI to further solidify the values of professional interior architects and designers. IFI is the sole international federating body for interior architecture and design organisations, and acts as a global forum for the exchange and development of knowledge and experience in worldwide education, research and practice. Often considered as the “United Nations” of the interior architecture and design field, IFI connects the international community in order to further the impact, influence and application of the design of interiors, promote global social responsibility, and raise the status of the profession and the industry worldwide. ifiworld.org // [email protected]
Making a differenceWhat were the top six initiatives this quarter that positively impacted on our industry, and who championed them?
Sydney Living Museums x 27 Smith StreetLaunched by Sydney Living Museums in 2014 in partnership with Austral Bricks as part of the Home & Architecture Category, the inaugural 27 Smith Street design competition showcased the work of talented professional and student architects. Initially, the competition was established to answer the question: What is the truly iconic Australian home? The answer? The red brick house. From the Hyde Park Barracks to the Californian bungalow of the 1920s and on to the landmark UTS Business School building, bricks are fundamental to how Sydney architecture has developed. The challenge was to make brick the new black. A prize pool of $10,000 will be divided into two categories: professional and student, with the winning student given the opportunity of a mentorship program with one of Sydney’s leading architecture firms.2014 judge, Hannah Tribe, comments that: “The best thing about this competition is that you have the opportunity to really think about ‘home’, about architecture and about how every individual house that we design and create is a unit in the growth of our city. Thinking about housing is thinking about the future of how we live.” sydneylivingmuseums.com.au // (61 2) 8072 4516
Parlour x University of SydneyParlour Inc, a fast-growing, not-for-profit organisation promoting gender equity in the architecture industry, recently hosted its first Sydney event at the University of Sydney. Parlour started out as a website bringing together research, opinion and resources on women, equity and architecture in Oz. The website is curated and edited by Justine Clark, with support from co-editors Naomi Stead, Karen Burns, Sandra Kaji-O’Grady, Julie Willis, Amanda Roan and Gill Matthewson. USYD’s Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning’s Tin Sheds Gallery recently staged a photographic exhibition by Parlour, which captured women architects and the architectural workplaces of three major Sydney practices over a single day. “It is unusual for research and practice to come together in such a strong, integrated way, and it is vital to our project of generating change,” says Parlour editor and curator Justine Clark. Co-editor and curator Dr Naomi Stead adds: “The success of the website has been quite astonishing to all of us. It’s not just being read and discussed in Australia, it’s international, and that tells us there is a global need for a forum to discuss equity and work life in design.”sydneylivingmuseums.com.au // (61 2) 8072 4516
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1-OK CLUB MelbourneLed by Melbourne-based designers Dale Hardiman and team LABDESTU, the 1-OK CLUB was created as a reaction to the limitations imposed by commercialised design. The exhibition featured experimental works by a whole host of creatives including: Ash Allen, Ross Gardam, Jon Goulder, Harriet Watts, Takeawai, Dale Hardiman, Audrey Hulm and Hugh Altschwager – just to name a few, whose works were auctioned off by NGV at the NGV Design Store. “After practicing in both commercial and creative fields for several years, we sought the need to democratically represent pure designed outcomes,” says Hardiman. The intention then, of the 1-OK CLUB represents the otherwise unachievable design potentials of the industry and fortifies the Australian design community outside of the purpose of commercial
On Your Feet AustraliaBaker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute (Baker IDI) has established On Your Feet Australia to encourage Australians to sit less, move more, more often. Australia is understood to be the first country to adopt such an event but other countries are quickly following suit, with campaigns such as Get Britain Standing being introduced.Now in its second year, On Your Feet Australia called on Australians to ‘quit the sit’ for one day on 11 June 2015 to increase awareness of the health dangers of too much sitting, raising funds to support for heart disease and diabetes research.“As a company that understands the importance of workplace ergonomics and a strong advocate of quality workplaces, Schiavello are delighted to have worked closely with Baker IDI to be one of the main sponsors for On Your Feet Australia. Schiavello teams across Australia actively participated in the unique health and wellbeing challenge – rather than sitting at the desks for extended periods of time, our colleagues stood working at their desks and some even had lunch standing,” says Anton Schiavello, director of Schiavello International.Baker IDI and their international partners like Schiavello are revealing dangerous links between too much sitting and increased risk of chronic diseases such as type-two diabetes and chronic heart disease.“Telling people to give up the chair is not as straightforward as it sounds. Our bodies are used to working comfortably seated; when work gets too busy, some of us are capable of sitting for hours without breaks. It takes discipline and conscientiousness to remind ourselves to quit the sit. We hope that the efforts made by everyone for On Your Feet Australia will continue beyond the event,” shares Anton Schiavello.schiavello.com // (61 3) 9330 8888
bakeridi.edu.au // (61 3) 8532 1111
gain. While the purchase of the designed objects is not the axis of this platform, it nonetheless allows for design collectors and appreciators to intimately learn about the product and who the designer really is. Hardiman notes: “We spoke with Silo Studio (London, UK) at the very beginning of the project to explain the importance of experimentation (having themselves, gone through the Royal College of Arts and gone on to produce work for brands such as HAY) and they summarised it incredibly well: ‘A lack of experimentation means that we take things for granted. It means that we believe objects work the way in which we have been told.’ It’s only through experimentation that we can make any sort of progress in this discipline, or any creative discipline for that matter.”1-ok.club // [email protected]
Reece Bathroom Innovation Award (BIA)Competitions like the Bathroom Innovation Award (BIA), hosted by bathroom innovators Reece, are changing the landscape for hundreds of Australia’s emerging and professional designers.Celebrating its tenth year in 2015, the BIA is the only bathroom competition of its kind in Australia, providing student and professional designers with invaluable career opportunities as part of its impressive prize packages. This year, the competition calls for designers to push the boundaries of bathroom design by creating an innovative tapware concept for the contemporary bathroom environment.For the second year in a row, the BIA professional winner will see their bathroom designs brought to life, as one of the world’s largest bathroom brands, Nobili, is set to prototype their bathroom product.A major goal for the BIA is to discover and nurture these emerging designers as they begin their careers in a highly competitive and demanding industry. Student winners of the BIA are presented with a rare opportunity to gain international experience with Roca – one of the world’s leading bathroom specialists – with a two-week internship at the brand’s headquarters in Spain. Such an experience gives these budding designers a first-hand insight into how an internationally renowned bathroom design brand operates and aids in inspiring the next generation of Australian designers.reece.com.au // 1800 032 566
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