NeoCon this October will definitely be different. There’ll be no ambling over to Grant Park to catch a session of the Blues Festival that seems to happen concurrently with NeoCon every June. And of course there’s the pandemic that just seems to drag on and on. And notably, MillerKnoll who, separately, have been on most people’s NeoCon “must see” list for decades, have departed for the great unknown of Fulton Street.
But one thing that will be very much the same is that Davis will introduce a plethora of new products. Since the early 2000’s it has been a tradition for officeinsight to visit Davis at their headquarters in High Point, NC just prior to NeoCon to see first-hand what’s new – in terms of new products for launch at NeoCon, and as often as not, to see the latest building they’ve bought or built to add to the growing Davis campus.
With global mobility greatly curtailed by COVID restrictions, I had begun to wonder how product development would be affected; especially at companies like Davis who are well-known for working closely with European designers and companies. So with a nod to restrictions but a keen curiosity as to what they have done, I scheduled a Zoom meeting with the Davis principals.
I was pleased and mildly surprised to find that from the outside looking in, the pandemic doesn’t seem to have slowed the Davis team down at all. They will introduce 9 new products at NeoCon. Some are totally new products from designers new to Davis and some are from designers long associated with the company. Some of the launches are new additions to existing product lines that round out the applicability of a product family and together the totally new and new additions amount to an amazing body of work accomplished during a weird time for developing new products.
The Zoom meeting was led by Davis VP Design, Rob Easton with his boss and partner in product development, Danny Davis, chipping-in with interesting anecdotes about the process or the designers or applications as fit the moment. So here’s a sneak peek at the products you’ll see at the Davis showroom in a week’s time.
Tote by Sebastian Herkner
Geman designer Sebastian Herkner has designed award-winning products for companies such as Cappellini, Fritz Hansen, Thonet and Dedon. In his first collaboration with Davis, Herkner imagined a charming small scale lounge chair designed to move about the open plan thanks to optional casters hidden under the chair and a leather handle purposefully placed in the center of the outside back.
Designed to work together in small groups it could also provide a clever counterpoint when combined with settings of larger lounge chairs. Tote is a fun piece that can provide a quick place to sit throughout an open plan environment.
Cantina Collection by jehs+laub
Since Davis began collaborating with the German design team, jehs+laub in 2009, they have created multiple award-winning collections and some of Davis’ best-selling products – the Ginkgo family, Sachet, the A-Collection, Reed Chair, Hue storage and Poise Occasional tables, to name a few.
Simplifying the construction and expanding on the functionality of their A-Bench, with the Cantina Collection Jehs+Laub have continued their exploration of the casual multiple seating category that can be used to divide space, provide banquette style huddle spaces or function as the traditional multiple seating bench used in receptions and public spaces.
Cantina will be available as a backless bench or with a mid-height back or high-back option. The seat, designed at “working-height,” anticipates use in corporate and learning environments in applications ranging from Cafés to student centers.
Quad by jehs+laub
The high back lounge chair that can stand on its own as a statement piece or be grouped together to make “privacy islands” in open areas has become a staple typology in workplace, hospitality and even healthcare design. The unusual shape of Quad’s seat (reuleaux triangle) and the wider angle of its nicely proportioned and beautifully detailed back make it an exciting new option for those applications.
Quad’s seat is also designed at “working height” to facilitate use with laptops or mobile devices and the high back version offers both comfort and a sense of privacy.
Tavo Table Collection by jehs+laub
Tavo is a series of conference tables and table desks based on a minimal yet massive concrete base. The base is a sculpted triangular shape that conveys a sense of permanence and gravitas. The centered mass of the base raises questions about how the top is supported, but a peek under the top reveals a sturdy steel structure that provides substantial support. With its melding of organic shapes and raw materials, Tavo will create a breathtaking centerpiece wherever its used.
Riza by jehs+laub
Davis asked Jehs+Laub to design a simple table base that could accept a wide variety of top materials, shapes and sizes; spanning applications from café to small conference. Their solution is a simple tubular steel assembly chosen for its flexibility, strength, and cost effectiveness.
Sturdy and versatile, the graceful lines of the pedestal and legs
draw the eye to the tapered tube where the base rests on the floor. Riza will be available in more than 30 powder coat finishes and a myriad of top shapes and sizes. Riza is a handsome workhorse designers will be able to use throughout a project.
Sachet Lounge by jehs+laub
The new Sachet lounge chair is an extension of the Sachet line, adding a larger, lower “bucket-style” lounge chair to the successful Sachet family of desk/conference chairs. The original Sachet chair is a great example of pleasing proportions and impeccable upholstery details and those characteristics have been carried through to the newest member of the family.
A variety of base options each tells its own story, offering elegant details that complement and anchor the precise angles of the shell. For example, a sleek cast aluminum base is offered in fixed, swivel and memory return options. And a solid wood base is available in oak or walnut finishes. Designers will find that Sachet can now be spec’d in lobbies, small meeting rooms and other shared spaces,
Ariel Steel by Mario Ferrarini
Davis has been making a concerted effort to build a credible group of products rated for outdoor use. The Ariel Steel Collection is an extension of Mario Ferrarini’s Ariel chair that can be used indoors or out.
The new all steel version of Ariel maintains the magical form of the original Ariel with its back perched atop it’s tubular frame, but replacing the wooden back and upholstered seat with steel mesh and then powdercoating the whole makes it entirely appropriate for outdoor use.
Ariel is stackable up to 5 high and can be specified with a cart for easy transport. It is available in counter-height and bar-height stools. I like the rugged look of Ariel in steel and it keeps my favorite detail – the way the round tube is transformed to a rectangle where it’s glide meets the floor.
Linq by Jonathan Prestwich
According to Prestwich, the Linq task chair was designed to be a simpler solution to task seating than most ergonomic chairs. The design eliminated unused adjustments but retained user-centered ergonomics. That “simpler chair” solution was available with an upholstered seat and only with a “breathable” mesh back. It was elegant and simple with a unique tilt mechanism that responds to the user’s body type and weight.
The simplicity of the structure of the mesh back made offering a fully upholstered version that maintained the sleek aesthetic while also achieving excellent comfort a difficult design problem. But that is exactly what the new fully upholstered Linq chair has achieved.
So now Linq can be specified in a range of applications where a mesh back chair might have seemed too casual.
Sola by Justus Kolberg
As a result of technological and manufacturing advancements, Davis and Justus Kolberg have re-engineered Sola to increase its comfort while keeping its sleek good-looks. The project set out to enhance the seating experience of the Sola Chair by working through all functional features and improving performance, whether that was from using new materials, tweaking geometry or employing aluminum castings to replace less robust parts.
The updated Sola will be show off its new cast aluminum parts via polished aluminum versions of the base, the underside of the arm structure and the seat pan. Of course those aluminum parts can also be spec’d in one of Davis 30 standard powdercoat colors. Sola is now more versatile and comfortable than ever and still a real beauty.