By watching hundreds of hours of video and conducting in-depth interviews with workers of all ages, in all disciplines, Knoll and Formway Design recognized that the basic assumption about office seating — that there are only a few optimal ways to sit while at work — was flawed. In fact, their investigation showed that sitting upright and facing forward was just one of the ways people use their office chairs. Shifting, stretching, rotating, leaning, and reclining not only relieve boredom but are essential to our ability to stay energized and collaborate with colleagues. Understanding that no combination of adjustment levers could make a chair equally comfortable in each of those positions, Formway sought to achieve an elastic design—the idea that a product would rearrange itself in response to a user’s movements. After years of design and development, spent considering and reconsidering every component of the chair, Formway arrived at a truly innovative design. With a revolutionary new material for the chair’s back and a form that anticipates and allows for a multitude of body positions, Generation achieves Knoll and Formway’s mission to help workers sit how they want.
It is truly the next generation of seating. Knoll is Modern Always because modern always works. Knoll uses modern design to connect people to their work, their lives, their world. Since 1938, Knoll has been recognized internationally for creating workplace and residential furnishings that inspire, evolve, and endure. Today, our commitment to modern design, our understanding of the nature of work, and our dedication to sustainable design have yielded a unique portfolio of thoughtful products that respond and adapt to changing needs. Here is our story.Despite all the chatter about standing up at your desk, Knoll knows that most professionals are largely chair-bound. But that doesn’t mean we sit still. We twist, turn, and fidget. New Zealand-based Formway Design, a longtime Knoll partner, studied these movements to come up with the Remix. It balances traditional ergonomics with comfort—something often lacking in office perches that are “good for you.” Key to the Remix is tech that lets it flex with your body instead of fighting it: The two-layer “tandem back” features a core structure that allows for torsional, side-to-side movement and an elastomer webbing that moves with your back.
And it’s all topped with an upholstered cushion that envelops you in cozy luxury. Think of it as a tiny oasis in the corporate wasteland. You spend most of your waking hours at your desk. Build a space that works as hard as you do. 1. Beats Pill+ | Apple’s newly redesigned portable Bluetooth speaker pairs to just about anything and pumps out 12 hours of tunage on a single charge. It also works as a speakerphone, so you can pace around while pitching VCs on your first round. 2. Microsoft Surface Book | This device exemplifies Redmond’s vision of the future of computing: It’s an ultracapable Windows 10 laptop, but the hi-res touchscreen also detaches from the beautiful, curvy hinge to work as a tablet. The stylus magnetically clicks onto the side of the screen, so you’re at least a little less likely to lose it. 3. Artifox Desk 01 | Combat clutter with this solid walnut desk. Stash a power strip in the storage tray and dock your phone and tablet in the desktop slots.
Pegs on the legs hold your bag and headphones. For the write-on panel, choose between dry-erase or chalk. You can use it to take notes (or doodle) during conference calls. 4. Colorplay Hourglass | The best meetings are short. Keep the chitchat to a minimum with this hourglass. Just flip it over at the start of a one-on-one and the white sand measures out a quarter of an hour, giving your minion a visual cue of how quickly they should get to the point. 5. CB2 Cement Pencil Cup | Your weightiest ideas will come from the tools you store in this Brutalist receptacle. The rectangular cup is smooth to the touch, but its rugged looks let coworkers know you’re serious business. A great gift for architects, taskmasters, and hard-headed bosses. In the early 1930s, British engineer George Carwardine was tinkering with automotive suspension springs. He found that if he arranged them in opposition on a jointed armature—much like the muscles in a human limb—the contraption would bend with minimal effort yet hold firm in any position.
Carwardine used that principle to create an articulating lamp for factory assembly lines. That’s where Norwegian textile magnate Jac Jacobsen first encountered one. He reckoned it could also illuminate an office desk, if only it picked up a little Scandinavian style. Jacobsen streamlined and simplified the lamp, keeping the long springs exposed. More than 75 years and 25 million units later, the now LED-fitted L-1 is still a shining beacon of design—a brilliant late-night companion to architects and engineers. Tethered to your desk? These wireless cans will be your new favorite coworkers. 1. V-Moda Crossfade Wireless | BEST FOR: Coders who moonlight as e-sports stars or Tiësto-worshipping DJs V-Moda’s headphones are tough enough to pass DOD stress tests, so they’ll certainly survive anything a cubicle monkey can dish out. The 50-mm drivers in this Bluetooth model are the same ones V-Moda uses in its award-winning (and wired) Crossfade headphones that are so popular with DJs and gamers.
The addictive V-Moda house sound, with its EDM-worthy bass, has survived the wireless leap intact. 2. Master & Dynamic MW60 | BEST FOR: Execs who need headphones to match their loafers New York-based M&D’s latest release, all luxe metal and sumptuous leather, is pricey. But it’s also a Bluetooth miracle: CD-quality sound without wires, zero dropouts from interference, and a 16-hour battery. With a range of up to 110 feet, wear the headset to the mailroom and back without missing a single note of “Monk’s Mood.”Design: Foster + Partners. Welcome to Walter Knoll. Walter Knoll, based in Germany, is one of the leading international manufacturers of fine upholstered furniture and office facilities. With designs both classic and modern, with peerless comfort and great durability, our products create living spaces. Visit www.walterknoll.de for further information and for the entire range of Walter Knoll products. Walter Knoll Australia was formed in 2007.