London-based Established & Sons unveils At Work, a new collection of crossover designs to inspire work at home, in the office, in shared spaces and everywhere in-between at Clerkenwell Design Week. The GRID by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec, the KD TABLE and BEAM TABLE by Konstantin Grcic and the LUCIO LOUNGE by Sebastian Wrong are considered responses to the rise of the live-work space and shifting attitudes towards aesthetics in the working environment.
‘The working environment is no longer about meeting rooms, task chairs and desk systems,’ said Sebastian Wrong, Design Director of Established & Sons. “Home has become the office and the office has become the home. Standards and expectations are getting higher and higher for work spaces. Businesses and individuals want to inhabit a universal space that has a high level of design integrity and that includes comfort, flexibility, informality and functionality.’
‘Established & Sons now have something to offer – these are forward-thinking, radical designs that are grounded in a very real need. We’re making interesting objects with integrity that can function within this new working environment and that people will be intrigued by.’
The new collection was launched in a special installation – Established & Sons At Work – curated by Sebastian Wrong at Fora, Clerkenwell Dallington Street, in London’s premium designled workspace. Conceived as a complete take-over of Fora’s breakout spaces, the installation invited visitors to explore the possibilities of Established & Sons’ new, innovative designs by trying them out with Wi-Fi and refreshments from Fora’s in-house cafe, Forage.
With the new At Work collection, Established & Sons continues its idiosyncratic tradition of working closely with designers to create radical new products that bring together compelling design, cuttingedge manufacturing and high-quality craftsmanship. During Clerkenwell Design Week, Established & Sons will also unveil new extensions of celebrated pieces from its existing range. A colourful room-within-a-room, the raw shell of the GRID SYSTEM provides a base for modular seating, shelves, tables and screens, which can be integrated in different ways to create a playful and multifunctional environment for informal meetings, presentations or simply hanging out.
The modular system is based on powder-coated steel frame and is designed to offer total flexibility. A vast array of options offers the owner true freedom in modifying the design to their needs and encourages creativity and dynamism in their use. The basic, L-shaped module has two 2.5 metre-long sides, enclosed by tall back and side panels. Both sides can be fully upholstered as a sofa, or one side can function as a built-in side table. A standing or sitting desk for informal work is created with the addition of an external shelf. The side panels are available in either a metal grid that encourages communication between the inside and outside of the module, a larch-wood veneer or covered with an acoustic upholstery. Each element – the frame, upholstery and panels can be finished in a different colour.
Other variations include a U-shaped module, which creates a more enveloping effect, a straight module without a seat that can function as a partition and a straight module with a seat that functions as a bench. These can also be joined together to create rows of different uses. For the seating, a base cushion provides the initial support, with three other cushion sizes and shapes offered to create diverse sitting environments. For launch, the GRID upholstery will be finished with Hallingdale, one of the most popular fabrics created by Danish firm Kvadrat.