Stockholm, Sweden
In collaboration with Swedish manufacturers Savo, Stolab Möbel, Forming Function, and Atelje Lyktan, the Stockholm-based design studio Form Us With Love(FUWL) have introduced a new collection of home/office furnishings at their waterfront studio this month during Swedish Design Week 2024.
“Testing Grounds” took the form of an open studio and creative hub, curated as an interactive and pragmatic exploration into design and work.
The installation posed the question “To what extent does design shape workspaces of the future?” and was intended to encourage interaction, conversation, and curiosity, amongst visitors to the space.
“Testing Grounds” was presented as an exhibition, film, curated events, and talks, to highlight themes such as functionality, aesthetics, flexibility, new work practices, and the relationship between interior and industrial design.
The new products designed by Form Us With Love share a future-proof, system-led approach to their evolution: task and domestic chairs, lights, and electrical components have inherent adaptability, allowing for varying end-uses, interchangeable aesthetics, and the ability to work in a multitude of evolving work scenarios—from static offices to hospitality dwellings, domestic settings, and in public spaces.
The first product was Hood designed for Ateljé Lyktan—a reimagined acoustical lighting fixture that incorporates two new materials: hemp and wool.
Unlike a mere blend, these materials stand individually, each bringing its distinct advantages to the Hood range.
Hemp, known for its durability and eco-friendliness, aligns seamlessly with the commitment to sustainability.
Wool, cherished for its natural warmth and texture, enhances the lamp’s acoustic qualities, fostering a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
Hood is built around the emotional value of a shelter, where the intimate room is protected, keeping the landscape view uninterrupted.
This pendant light not only shields the intimate room but also preserves the uninterrupted beauty of the surrounding landscape.
The three-piece modular design allows for flexibility, enabling users to tailor the Hood to their spatial requirements.
Next, the designers collaborated with the tech company Forming Function on the Nomad Collection—an aesthetic, portable, and scalable ecosystem tailored to today’s flexible work life.
This comprehensive Nomand Collection meets the demands of diverse workplaces, offering a seamless blend of design, function, and adaptability for office nomads, and designed to stand the test of time.
This partnership and process-driven approach identified two main issues: a lack of design innovation in this product sector, and a shortage of holistic solutions.
Key factors emerging from the design development stages were:
Recognizing the importance of tackling charging as a fundamental aspect of the workplace.
Emphasizing the parallel demands for interior design in the workplace, like those in a home setting.
Expressing the need for a comprehensive collection encompassing electricity, charging, and lighting for various workplaces—a collection designed for longevity and the possibility of reuse and recycling.
As the world of work continues to change—the furniture within must move beyond ergonomic and material considerations, and be adaptable to the needs of flexible workspaces, better work practices, and evolving job functions.
Spine—designed by Form Us With Love for Savo AS, provides flexibility for the end users and longevity for businesses, through modular and sustainable design.
As the name suggests, Spine has a “spine” with a step-less bracket to adjust the height of the backrest and headrest.
The modular and flexible design means you can use and change the platform as you like and simultaneously keep the entire office’s look together.
Savo approached FUWL with the joint ambition of creating office furniture for the future—a long-term investment for a business, due to upgradeability and flexibility. FUWL have noted the development in office environments, with fewer natural barriers, fewer personal offices, and more shared zones.
A synergy in values between FUWL and Savo focuses on the watchwords “reduce, reuse, repair, recycle,” and a major part of the company’s sustainability efforts, focusing on product development for the circular economy.
Chairs from Savo, including Spine, are made using a layer-by-layer design meaning all components can be removed, repaired, and updated over time, giving them long life and durability.
Stolab Möbel AB has faced the challenge of transcending its traditional “dining space” identity, into products that speak to architects and designers, desiring a more contemporary aesthetic and for broader applications, especially in tomorrow’s offices, which increasingly blend the best from home and work.
In response, Stolab’s journey led to the creation by FUWL of the Alt Collection, a series of component-based chairs which can be adapted by mixing and matching the upper and lower parts, to suit static seating.
For example, a classic shape top which supports the back and looks in-keeping with residential styles, can be specified with a swivel base, to be effective in the office environment.
Each chair manages to retain the classic warmth of Stolab’s designs while offering a contemporary touch, relevant to the necessary ergonomics and flexibility of work.
Project: Testing Ground
Designers: Form Us With Love (FUWL)
Manufactures: Ateljé Lyktan AB, Forming Function AB, Stolab Möbel AB, and Savo AS
Photographers: Jonas Lindström
