Obeya, designed for OFS, developed organically out of our partnership and is rooted in the brand’s identity. With decades of expertise working with the material, wood is at the heart of the company. We wanted to leverage this into the product’s USP, making materiality a core of Obeya’s distinct expression. Where most extrude aluminum, Obeya’s posts are a unique piece of craftsmanship – a feat of wood manufacturing and technical engineer. This would not be possible without the shared experience and growth of the two businesses over years of collaboration. With this intimacy, we knew where to push and OFS had the unwavering courage and faith to try, together we arrived at a design that truly pushes the limits.

Kaleid, a collection of mobile space-defining elements, was designed to empower employees through direct engagement and ownership over their workspace. Mobility was key from the outset, with this we opted for exposed castors, a visual cue to users ensuring the product was flexibly coded. The form of the product – it’s recognisable a-frame – is born directly from user consideration. Conscious of potential nervousness amongst users due to size and presence, its design enhances both functionality and user confidence by grounding the unit and lowering its centre of gravity for better stability. Instilling faith and a sense of trust. Furthermore, it elevates the distribution of light across its surface, creates a more comfortable angle for writing, and is physically less imposing on the space it shapes.

Finally, we added bumpers as another indication of function and signal of encouragement to users. The solid timber dowels are strategically positioned where the unit is handled, providing users with a warm, tactile and natural connection with the product. Kaleid was awarded a Best of NeoCon Gold in recognition of its human-centered design.

Good design demands consideration of every aspect of a product’s lifecycle. In 2018, we collaborated with Ocee & Four Design to develop their first in-house acoustic wall solution, Tessellate. In a market saturated with highly commodified options, we sought to differentiate Tessellate by uncovering insights that would elevate it above the competition.

Following a period of research and analysis, it was evident that the filling – the largest proportion of the product – was a source of potential innovation. Working closely with Ocee & Four Design’s team, we uncovered a recycled paper sheet from the building industry, a perfect replacement for the foam or fiberglass traditionally used. This not only makes the product significantly more sustainable; it provides acoustic and weight advantages too. Dimensions and yields derive from this material stock, ensuring a cost-effective edge.

Every relationship with the product was interrogated in search of potential opportunities, including the installer’s role in product deployment. Not only are they responsible for the installation, they are often key stakeholders in the specification of these solutions. Through direct engagement, we discovered that traditional installation methods often led to misalignments and inefficiencies, resulting in snags. This insight inspired a bespoke, innovative mounting solution.

A simple circular hanging cup with an off-centre fixing enables installers to fine-tune alignment through rotational adjustment - streamlining installation. With these micro-adjustments, less accuracy is required in the original setting out, better placement is achieved and errors are reduced. This innovation, made with minimal recyclable plastic, also contributed to the product’s sustainability, using less material and energy in production than conventional mountings.

ESI Fellowes asked us to reimagine their premium monitor arm range. Kata was their first self-initiated product. Our role spanned strategy, design, engineering and CMF development. Reduction was the primary focus, every part serving a purpose with nothing superficial.

In close collaboration with manufacturing partners, every detail of the internal mechanics were refined, resulting in a uniquely engineered weight-compensating gas spring mechanism. Kata received a Red Dot Award and repositioned ESI in their market, opening the business to new opportunities.