Work-life Balance

As workplace tools have advanced from quill and ink to fountain pens and then ballpoint pens, and from enormous desktop computers to laptops and tablets, so the furniture that determines how we sit and interact with our colleagues on a daily basis has also evolved. Cubicles and rows of tables have been replaced with hot-desking facilities and lounge-like breakout areas, prompting producers of contract furniture to develop more versatile and casual solutions.

Since its foundation in 1963, Italian furniture specialist Pedrali has consistently reacted to the changing needs of its customers in the contract sector by producing innovative products led by the latest research in workplace trends and material technologies. Today, this means developing furniture suited to playful and stimulating environments that endeavour to encourage social interaction as a way to engage the minds of employees.

‘The global and constantly connected market has completely transformed the needs of workers,’ says Monica Pedrali, the company’s sales and marketing director. ‘More and more workspaces are becoming places of social meeting and interaction, not just working environments.’ This emphasis on fun as well as function means modern workplaces demand furniture that offers greater creative possibilities than the wood veneer and beige plastic that proliferated towards the end of the 20th century. ‘Our clients are looking to create sleek and functional spaces with an aesthetic appeal,’ adds Pedrali. ‘In this new scenario, Pedrali’s products, with their flexibility, comfort and technology, are ideal for specification in office spaces.’

Through collaborations with leading designers, including Marc Sadler, Patrick Jouin and Enrico Franzolini, Pedrali has amassed a collection of seating, tables, stools, lighting and complements that offer a broad array of styles and finishes. Having largely specialised in the use of metal prior to the millennium, the company has since refined its expertise in the production of plastics, wood and glass, resulting in a more diverse palette of colours and materials. Combined with numerous possibilities for customisation, this enables Pedrali’s contract customers to create unique environments for a new generation of workplaces.

Many of the most innovative contemporary working environments belong to the new breed of technology companies, which recognise the importance of investing in workplaces where employees can interact and spend time away from their desks – if they even have one. Pedrali recently provided furniture for the colourful Google Campus in Dublin, designed by Swiss architecture studio Camenzind Evolution in collaboration with local firm Henry J. Lyons Architects. The master plan comprises four buildings containing five restaurants, 42 microkitchens, game rooms, a fitness centre, pool, and a learning and development centre, as well as open-plan offices and more than 400 formal and informal meeting rooms.

Each of the floors at the Google Campus is themed to represent one of the company’s core values, and Pedrali’s furniture is used throughout the communal spaces to complement colours, shapes and materials, while responding to the varying practical requirements of these environments. Products such as the plastic Pasha chair and the Kuadra stool add to the lively feel of the interior, while wooden chairs and stools, such as the Apple, Young and Twig designs, introduce warmth and natural details. Overall, the interior scheme is bright, dynamic and centred around communication and interaction, with furniture helping to create a homely feel wherever possible.

Pedrali also collaborated with Kragelj Architects on a brightly coloured interior for the headquarters of telecommunications firm Si.mobil in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana. The architects developed a contemporary scheme for the office, separating meeting rooms from the offices on either side by enclosing them in glass cubes and adding carpets in various bright shades. The simple white shells and frames of the Arod stool and Noa chair punctuate these spaces, and the chairs are upholstered in complementary colours to add to the interior’s playful feel. The project is typical of contemporary workplace interiors, where colour, tone and texture help to create inviting and characterful environments that aim to alleviate the drudgery associated with office work.

Alongside its competence in supplying furniture for the workplace, Pedrali has been active for many years in numerous other aspects of the contract market, including hospitality and cultural spaces and public amenities. ‘The performance features of Pedrali’s collection combined with our global approach to sales and distribution have made the contract business an integral part of our DNA,’ explains Monica Pedrali, adding that ‘the simple lines and numerous customisation options’ of the firm’s products enable architects and interior designers to find solutions for all types of public and private projects.

Among the new products presented by Pedrali at Orgatec in Cologne was a seating system called Plural by Barcelona designer Jorge Pensi, which aims to provide a versatile option for communal seating in places like waiting rooms, universities, hospitals, airports and offices. Designed to be visually light yet robust enough to withstand long-term use in public environments, the product comprises a seat and backrest made from a single slender piece of polypropylene supported by a die-cast aluminium frame. The modular system can be specified with two, three or four seats, with armrests if required. ‘Our challenge was to create a piece of extreme elegance at a reasonable price,’ explains Jorge Pensi. ‘One of the main characteristics of Plural is that no supporting structure is seen. The intention was to hide it under the shells to emphasise the aluminium pieces.’ Plural encapsulates Pedrali’s expertise in identifying innovative uses for simple materials, resulting in affordable products that combine a refined aesthetic with the robustness required by the contract market.

In addition to the Plural system, Pedrali also displayed updated versions of already popular designs at Orgatec. The new pieces created for use in office environments included the Plano 2 table, which features a thin, solid laminate surface on top of extruded aluminium supports fixed to square bases. Marc Sadler’s Noa chair can now be specified with a four-spoke base featuring castors to enhance its practicality at a desk or in meeting rooms, while the elegant upholstered Ester armchair by Patrick Jouin is also available with a spoked base that makes it well suited for use in offices and hospitality spaces.

Each of the additions to Pedrali’s current range offers an alternative function for clients seeking to fulfil specific aesthetic or practical requirements. Whether for offices, meeting rooms, waiting areas or a breakout space with a pool table and coffee bar, there is likely to be something suitable in the company’s extensive collection. By constantly creating furniture that combines comfort, practicality and style, Pedrali is playing its part in the evolution of workplaces that feel more like a home away from home and less like somewhere people dread to enter and hasten to leave.