design stories 2012
32Pages

Abstracta Design Stories – 02 In the beginning The story of Abstracta started back in the 1950’s when Danish architect Paul Cadovius designed the three first Abstracta storage systems. One of Paul’s sys‑ tems, called System 25, is still in production for Abstracta and one of the other systems had a very simple but important connecting part. In fact, this simple part would prove to be a key component in the development of the company. Its design gained lots of attention, so much that it became part of Abstracta’s logotype and was represented at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Historien...

03– Abstracta Design Stories

Abstracta Design Stories – 04 STORY No.1 The evolution of a surface Product. Vision, Enjoy, Silverpro / Messenger Production Year. 2002, 2003, 2004 / 2003 Designer. Mia Wahlstein, Josef Zetterman / Fredrik Wallner Since the 1980’s, Abstracta has been a successful supplier of traditional whiteboard and rail systems. The company has constantly developed and refined its solutions to create more exciting and stylish products that meet the modern requirements of a workspace. One good example is when Abstracta started adding glass in traditional whiteboards. It all started with a modern glass...

05 – Abstracta Design Stories 1. What’s the best thing about this product? The best thing with Messenger is that its minimalistic shape hides advanced technology within both its material and functions, making the product adjust‑ able to many different environments. It’s also amusing that this is the first product of its kind, taking the “conference cabinet” to a brand new world. 2. Tell us something we didn’t already know about the design process? Much effort was put into the development of the expansions, so that Messenger could sustain a weight far beyond 100 kilos. The expansions can’t...

Abstracta Design Stories – 06 1. What’s the best thing about this product? It’s a flexible storage system. The user can personalise Arctic in many ways. The product is suitable for both offices and homes. 2. Tell us something we didn’t already know about the design process? Arctic is one of the first products without knobs. At the time of its design it was a bit of a challenge to find a functional push-click solution. 3. What characterises a great workspace? Today flexibility is the key. Functional products are important as well as storage solutions.

07 – Abstracta Design Stories STORY No.2 Storage for all spaces Product. Arctic Production Year. 2005 Designer. Rolf Fransson Most of us cannot locate the space we want, or think we need. Good storage is crucial to keep stuff organised, but we also require that the storage itself suit our surroundings. With its own expressive form and functional interiors Arctic is the solution many are looking for. What characterises the Arctic series is the sleek design and its ability to adapt to any space or needs. Rolf Fransson says he has always had a fondness for clean and straight lines. Artic...

Abstracta Design Stories – 08 STORY No.3 One thing led to another Product. DoReMi / Alumi Production Year. 2005 / 2007 Designer. Nina Jobs In 2005 Nina Jobs designed the popular sound absorbing screen collection DoReMi. Nina works with simple forms, but always with a twist. In DoReMi she softens the tight shape by working with simple and beautiful relief patterns on the felt. It can be used as a freestanding solitaire or be connected to screen off a larger area. The flexibility of the screen combined with its technical features make the screen extremely versatile and suitable for a variety...

09 – Abstracta Design Stories 1. What’s the best thing about this product? The balance between functionality and design. It is an elaborate product that can be easily integrated into many contexts. 2. Tell us something we didn’t already know about the design process? Alumi/DoReMi has has been refined in detail throughout the years, to work on the market. The various felt reliefs strengthen both its design and sound absorb‑ tion. I’ve been working closely with suppliers and many ideas have been worked out on the industrial floor. Teamwork is the key to achieving great products! 3. What...

Abstracta Design Stories – 10 1. What’s the best thing about this product? It allows users to quickly and effectively change their environment, both soni‑ cally and visually. Even if the product is used in many places, the formation may vary almost indefinitely. 2. Tell us something we didn’t already know about the design process? The product was developed based on a need for suspended shielding and noise reduction. The Airflake’s blade pattern came first. From the beginning, each unit consisted of a smaller triangle, six pieces created what is now one Airflake. 3. What characterises a...

11 – Abstracta Design Stories STORY No.4 Creating sound absorbing art Product. Airflake / Aircone Production Year. 2007 / 2012 Designer. Stefan Borselius One of Abstracta’s main product groups is sound absorbing design. But why are sound absorbers always designed for usage on floors, desks or walls? In 2006 designer Stefan Borselius came up with an idea to form the sound absorbers in a new creative way. The solution requires neither floor or wall space; it can be hung from the ceiling. In modern times it can be hard to find large office spaces, so this becomes a highly relevant solution....

Abstracta Design Stories – 12 1. What’s the best thing about this product? Mobi combines two products - a partition and a worksurface - into one mobile product that can be easily assembled on-site. 2. Tell us something we didn’t already know about the design process? There were some unexpected structural challenges during the development phase which required additional reinforcement of the product to meet the strict Swedish furniture testing standards. 3. What characterises a great workspace? Great workspaces are characterised by flexibility – the possibility to adapt the workspace to...