The shape of things to come: Brunner

Trust is one of the core foundations on which success in business is built, whether in relation to the market or within the company itself. This is borne out by numerous studies including the German Economic Institute’s recent IW Report ‘Trust in Companies’. As far as building trust amongst colleagues is concerned, there are various approaches that businesses can take. One of the simplest and best-known exercises used in trust coaching to demonstrate its importance is to have a person fall backwards and trust that their partner will catch them. In addition to building trust, strengthening team spirit by creating a positive atmosphere and promoting open communication are also central to an organisation’s success.

With its pads collection, Brunner impressively demonstrates how these contemporary ideas can be translated into a versatile furniture series. pads’ beautifully shaped elements transform rooms into pleasant places full of possibilities. The series’ comfortable, upholstered modules allow users to create the appropriate layout for their immediate needs, whether for meetings, for rest phases or for a lively exchange of ideas.

Thanks to the enormous choice of fabrics, shapes and colours, the pads system is very flexible – individually adaptable to tasks, ideas, as well as the architecture of different spaces, despite its own strong appearance. Even the distinctive zigzag seam can be designed in eight colours, depending on preference – as something to catch the eye, or a discreet stylistic element.

The upholstered furniture pieces work as individual modules or as a group, in different colours or monochrome, as a lobby interior or to emphasise a lounge’s cosy character. pads can even be used to communicate cohesion, even if the seating landscapes are set at a distance. Two-seater, one-seater, sofa, panel, benches, side tables – all elements can be freely combined.

The elements can be understood as a construction kit that breaks with traditional rules and, in return, allows for the most diverse scenarios. The seat cushions in different heights can be pushed into one another like a Tetris pattern, so that the backrest of the lower module can simultaneously provide a comfortable leaning position or elevated seating opposite.

With the sofa module, pads pays tribute to classic homeliness. Thanks to its adaptability and individuality, the sofa easily holds its own with the other pads elements in terms of versatility. Eleven modules, which remain true to the colour spectrum, fabric selection and design language of pads, form the perfect sofa with intelligent under-sprung upholstery – also with a long chair or as an ottoman.

What binds all pads together is the offer of uncompromising comfort, while the colouring of the individual parts emphasises or minimises the concept of interpenetration that underlies the concept by design duo jehs+laub: ‘pads plays with the interpenetration of different elements,’ explain Markus Jehs and Jürgen Laub, ‘this creates interesting new possibilities for sitting, working and communicating.’

With the partitions and various upholstered elements from the pads series, for example, a closed room that keeps conversations confidential can be created, even in larger groups. Thanks to the clear design and modular lightness, the séparée is guaranteed to remain part of the overall room concept.

However, the partitions can also be used to create smaller areas of calm in open seating landscapes or to provide intimacy with two upholstered units placed together despite their proximity. Depending on the occasion, the chosen room design can be changed again with little effort to temporarily use the lobby as a workspace or to open up a separate waiting area for communicative exchange.

As upholstered panels, the partitions serve not only in the creation of private areas or for noise management, but also as a design tool in the pads universe. And although they are easy to set up, they offer stability in any situation. The overall pads picture is completed by matching cushions and a side table that can also be delivered with a power source.

The pads geometry exemplifies a coordinated coexistence of different characters, with each individual element being important to the whole – incidentally, also an approach taken by many companies today in which each employee feels responsible for their part in the big picture, no matter what the constellation: Again, trust is everything here.

© Architonic