Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Milan-born architect and designer Emanuela Frattini Magnusson, President of EFM Design, is responsible for Allseating’s launch of the proprietary Engadin textile collection.
Engadin received its namesake from Frattini Magnusson’s explorations through the long high Alpine valley region in the eastern Swiss Alps, as she derives a majority of her design inspiration from her travels.
Engadin features three patterns: Dots, Grid, and Bauhaus, which are based on geometric shapes, a linear grid, a loose dot pattern, and rectilinear color fields.
Allseating’s collection has been awarded a 2021 Good Design Award by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The colorways capture a dynamic mix of greys, greens, and aquas, yellow and red, which are reminiscent of summers Frattini Magnusson spent in Sils Maria in the Engadin.
The granite of the mountains, the blue and green of the lakes, the yellow of the larch trees in the fall, and the red that shows up everywhere in Swiss signage, brought the entire collection together.
“It has been an honor working in tandem with Allseating on this collaboration,” says Frattini Magnusson.
“It was an adventure getting to relive my travels while brainstorming with their team from an aesthetic perspective for Engadin—I really wanted to create patterns that would be complementary, yet distinctive for the brand’s products.”
The three patterns, Dots, Grid, and Bauhaus, are different in nature and scale and can stand on their own or coexist.
The same approach is true for the respective colorways, as it was Frattini Magnusson’s goal to obtain a balance between an expected foundation of neutrals and a fresh clarity of harmonious colors.
Each pattern has different “color balances,” which means that applying the same colorway to the three types of patterns results in three very different outcomes—however, there is a common thread that pulls them all together.
The Dots pattern is more playful, freehand, and softens the rigor of the other two, whereas Bauhaus, depending on which colorway is chosen, can be very decorative and bold. Grid, in the same colorway, is more subtle and offers a balance.
The line’s durability (medical grade vinyl), antimicrobial properties, and competitive price point are standout features for Engadin compared to other proprietary textile collections on the contract market.
As these were the guiding principles that delineated the boundaries for the product development process.
Project: Engadin Collection
Designers: EFM Design
Manufacturer: Allseating Corporation
