Cell Division: Brunner

Standing up or sitting down? Chair or sofa? Settled back or leaning in? Conversation or quiet? Group or solo? The modular work cells of the new cellular series from Brunner meet any or all of these requirements by combining a chair and work table with a privacy partition in a single piece of furniture – making cellular “world’s smallest open-plan office”.

The modules may recall the fundamental idea of the cubicles introduced by Hermann Miller in the 1960s, which divided the open-plan office into small work areas on the basis of an orthogonal grid. But while concepts for large, shared work areas are again in high demand, the cubicle has become obsolete.

Today’s workplace demands flexibility and a diversity of scenarios above all. In response, cellular offers a modern variation on the work cell – one that is functional and can be perfectly integrated in its visual environment. In keeping with the company philosophy, the reserved design vocabulary of cellular doesn’t push itself to the fore: “Our furniture is intended to stand on its own, yet allow the surrounding architecture its full expression.”

As the name itself suggests, the cellular series, too, is built on a modular system. It works on a honeycomb principle, but its individual parts can be combined, expanded and changed at will. This is made possible by the triangular shape of the individual module, which is defined by two textile panels forming a V-shaped element with inward-turning ends. The 1.39-metre-high panels afford visual privacy, even in large, open spaces without isolating the modules from their surroundings. This makes cellular well-suited not just to open work areas, but also to such settings as libraries, lounges and waiting areas.

The triangular panel element embraces a work table at sitting or standing height, or, alternatively, an armchair. A trapezoidal variant of the panel element accommodates a sofa. For optimal work conditions, power strips are integrated in the underside of the seat. Supported by the legs of the work table or armchair, the panels seem to float above the floor. This lends them a certain lightness and allows a simple zoning of the interior space without imposing hard boundaries. The sofa and armchair are also offered in a free-standing version, without panels. A round side table completes the series.

Wide-ranging fabric options mean that the various components can be upholstered in many subdued or bright colour schemes, as appropriate to the respective architecture and the materials used in the interior design. Matching or contrasting colours can be used for the inside and outside of the panels, and for the armchairs and sofas, as desired.

Along with its dynamic lines and graceful metal chair frames, the colour variety of cellular is reminiscent of Brunner’s crona series. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as both were designed by the Italian studio Archirivolto. The cellular series is the product of Archirivolto’s third joint project with the Brunner company, which for many years has collaborated closely with a number of designers in developing its contract furniture.

Brunner is a family company and was founded in 1977. Today, it is an internationally active vendor of contract furniture. It focuses on solutions for commercial enterprises and the hotel industry, trade fairs and conference centres, and facilities in the care, education and public sectors. Among other things, an examination of modern office design and the workplace of the future plays an important role in this context.

These days, thanks to mobile devices, we can take our work with us just about everywhere we go. The mobile office is therefore steadily gaining in relevance, calling on manufacturers and designers to develop ever more products to meet these changing requirements. With its flexibility, cellular is right in step with the concept of modern workplace design: whether for the individual work station, a one-to-one talk or larger discussion, or for the waiting area, the cellular modules meet a great diversity of demands.

© Architonic