PARCS | Bene
Designer
PearsonLloyd
Year 2009
Architonic id 1087902
Year 2009
Architonic id 1087902
PARCS is a room-shaping furniture portfolio that creates an unique working environment for meetings, teamwork, presentations, waiting and relaxing. Efficient and dynamic collaborations are achieved through the design by combing the PARCS elements to form various settings. The design feels familiar and unobstrusive, yet at the same time it is very modern.
Work environments that utilise PARCS give the feel of miniature-scale urban landscapes filled with people – as they stroll through, meet and greet each other, have a quick chat or stay for a longer conversation, for a meeting.
There are three core typologies which make up PARCS: The Causeways, the Toguna and the Wing chairs. Each element creates spaces that facilitate different types of activities without defining precisely how people are going to use them – this is PARCS key design innovation: it creates personal space. The rectangular benches and corner configurations evidenced in Causeway combined with the circular and curved forms of the Toguna and Wing elements to create settings that respond to specific needs. The tension between these singular forms create a great visual energy. It provides a softer environment and influences how people move through the meeting area.
PARCS is a loose furniture programme that facilitates flexibility and adaptability. All elements of PARCS, the Toguna, the Wings and the Causeways, can be configured in many ways, serving the needs of reception and break out areas or providing specific places for quiet contemplation as well as social interaction. Always with the aim to create multi-functional work environments.
Clever media integration accommodates and enables mobile working and presenting (eg integrated power points for lap tops or VDU screens for presentations and team work). Integrated lighting not only illuminates the area, but subtly delineates spaces.
PARCS Causeways
The Causeway – a series of different height orthogonal structures – derives its title from The Giant’s Causeway. It is a natural landmass in Ireland, where an awe-inspiring rock terrain comprising 40,000 interlocking basalt blocks and columns makes up the magnificent structure. The NME Causeway alludes to the way in which people visiting this World Heritage Site sit, perch, lean, lounge and stand in groups or individually, using the basic structural elements to make themselves comfortable.
Another source of inspiration for PearsonLloyd were the Spanish Steps in Rome. The allusion to the Spanish Steps acknowledges how, even when crowded, small groups are interacting in clusters even though there is only a couple of feet separating the groups.
The Causeways are a series of seating modules that come in three different sizes. They are free-standing or can be used in combination with the Fence elements. The upholstered Fences are available in two different heights and lengths and designed to respond to the ergonomic hierarchies of sit, perch, lean and stand.
The Causeway series is completed by the Wall which is available in two different heights. The lower wall allows the standing view through the space, the higher wall screens the view and protects for concentrated work.
PARCS Toguna
The Toguna references a traditional meeting space used by the elders of the Dogon tribe in Mali in West Africa. In Africa the Toguna’s special aspect is that it only has a height of about 1 metre. It forces every-one who is present to remain seated throughout the meeting. The construction effectively inhibits people from standing up to make a point. That way, discussions can be held more democratically.
It was important to PearsonLloyd to design furniture that influences peoples’ behaviour, that delivers a sense of cocooning and that creates inspiring spaces.
The Toguna is a circular, half open meeting cubicle that in this instance is high enough to stand up. It is a place for brainstorming or short meetings which is acoustically separated from its outside. The iconic form of the Toguna gives it a distinctive sign and position in the office.
PARCS Wing-Serie
The Wing Chair and Wing Sofa are perhaps the most familiar of the PARCS elements. Designed to pro-mote a degree of personal privacy and concentration, the seats can swivel and feature upholstered wings that form curved blinkers at head-height.
Wing-Chair and Wing-Sofa can be used either as free standing elements or around a table when used for meetings.
By eliminating external visual distractions, the Wing chairs enable the occupant to focus and concentrate within the confined area of the chair – whether to encourage reading or similar introverted activity or to assist focus for a one-to-one conversation, when two Wing-Chairs are situated together.
The Wing Sofas expand the philosophy of the Wing Chair, seating 2-3 people and facilitating group gatherings either independently or around a central table. An optional interconnecting panel, fixed be-tween two Wing Sofas binds the group further together. One typical combination would be the “American Diner”, when 2 Wing Sofas are positioned face-to-face.
PARCS Idea Wall
The Idea Wall provides another aspect to PARCS which anticipates and incorporates technology to facilitate communication and presentation requirements. The Idea Wall settings are collaboration spaces for screen-based activities.
As a stand-alone fixture, the Idea Wall could be located in reception and lobby areas to project corporate information. When combined with a table top housed under the mesh roof (with integrated down-lighting) supported by the storage fence which incorporates power and cable connections, it creates a dedicated space for informal, interactive discussions that utilise the screen presentations.
Work environments that utilise PARCS give the feel of miniature-scale urban landscapes filled with people – as they stroll through, meet and greet each other, have a quick chat or stay for a longer conversation, for a meeting.
There are three core typologies which make up PARCS: The Causeways, the Toguna and the Wing chairs. Each element creates spaces that facilitate different types of activities without defining precisely how people are going to use them – this is PARCS key design innovation: it creates personal space. The rectangular benches and corner configurations evidenced in Causeway combined with the circular and curved forms of the Toguna and Wing elements to create settings that respond to specific needs. The tension between these singular forms create a great visual energy. It provides a softer environment and influences how people move through the meeting area.
PARCS is a loose furniture programme that facilitates flexibility and adaptability. All elements of PARCS, the Toguna, the Wings and the Causeways, can be configured in many ways, serving the needs of reception and break out areas or providing specific places for quiet contemplation as well as social interaction. Always with the aim to create multi-functional work environments.
Clever media integration accommodates and enables mobile working and presenting (eg integrated power points for lap tops or VDU screens for presentations and team work). Integrated lighting not only illuminates the area, but subtly delineates spaces.
PARCS Causeways
The Causeway – a series of different height orthogonal structures – derives its title from The Giant’s Causeway. It is a natural landmass in Ireland, where an awe-inspiring rock terrain comprising 40,000 interlocking basalt blocks and columns makes up the magnificent structure. The NME Causeway alludes to the way in which people visiting this World Heritage Site sit, perch, lean, lounge and stand in groups or individually, using the basic structural elements to make themselves comfortable.
Another source of inspiration for PearsonLloyd were the Spanish Steps in Rome. The allusion to the Spanish Steps acknowledges how, even when crowded, small groups are interacting in clusters even though there is only a couple of feet separating the groups.
The Causeways are a series of seating modules that come in three different sizes. They are free-standing or can be used in combination with the Fence elements. The upholstered Fences are available in two different heights and lengths and designed to respond to the ergonomic hierarchies of sit, perch, lean and stand.
The Causeway series is completed by the Wall which is available in two different heights. The lower wall allows the standing view through the space, the higher wall screens the view and protects for concentrated work.
PARCS Toguna
The Toguna references a traditional meeting space used by the elders of the Dogon tribe in Mali in West Africa. In Africa the Toguna’s special aspect is that it only has a height of about 1 metre. It forces every-one who is present to remain seated throughout the meeting. The construction effectively inhibits people from standing up to make a point. That way, discussions can be held more democratically.
It was important to PearsonLloyd to design furniture that influences peoples’ behaviour, that delivers a sense of cocooning and that creates inspiring spaces.
The Toguna is a circular, half open meeting cubicle that in this instance is high enough to stand up. It is a place for brainstorming or short meetings which is acoustically separated from its outside. The iconic form of the Toguna gives it a distinctive sign and position in the office.
PARCS Wing-Serie
The Wing Chair and Wing Sofa are perhaps the most familiar of the PARCS elements. Designed to pro-mote a degree of personal privacy and concentration, the seats can swivel and feature upholstered wings that form curved blinkers at head-height.
Wing-Chair and Wing-Sofa can be used either as free standing elements or around a table when used for meetings.
By eliminating external visual distractions, the Wing chairs enable the occupant to focus and concentrate within the confined area of the chair – whether to encourage reading or similar introverted activity or to assist focus for a one-to-one conversation, when two Wing-Chairs are situated together.
The Wing Sofas expand the philosophy of the Wing Chair, seating 2-3 people and facilitating group gatherings either independently or around a central table. An optional interconnecting panel, fixed be-tween two Wing Sofas binds the group further together. One typical combination would be the “American Diner”, when 2 Wing Sofas are positioned face-to-face.
PARCS Idea Wall
The Idea Wall provides another aspect to PARCS which anticipates and incorporates technology to facilitate communication and presentation requirements. The Idea Wall settings are collaboration spaces for screen-based activities.
As a stand-alone fixture, the Idea Wall could be located in reception and lobby areas to project corporate information. When combined with a table top housed under the mesh roof (with integrated down-lighting) supported by the storage fence which incorporates power and cable connections, it creates a dedicated space for informal, interactive discussions that utilise the screen presentations.
