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Versatile. Always. Everywhere. The TeamUP Chair
- Co-creation of BASF, ITO Design and Interstuhl
- Multifunctional chair design for modern office environments
- New materials offer more comfort, reduced weight, and maximum functionality
Solutions evolve as demands change. This is especially true in the business world. The ever-increasing pace of change in our work, offices and organizational structures calls for new and flexible office designs. BASF, in collaboration with ITO Design and Interstuhl, decided to tackle this challenge. The result is the TeamUP Chair, which makes use of almost 20 different BASF materials. Its ergonomics and multifunctionality set new standards for the creative hub in your office.
The prototype will be showcased for the first time in October on BASF’s stand at K 2016 (Hall 5, Stand C21/D21).
From the idea to a groundbreaking chair design
BASF does not just supply materials and support customers and designers in the construction of technical components with the Ultrasim® simulation tool. BASF also pioneers new trends in the furniture industry and the workplace. In 2014, BASF’s designfabrik® thus ran a competition to develop a new type of chair that measured up to the ongoing changes in the office environment. The winner was ITO Design of Nuremberg.
Armin Sander, CEO of ITO Design: “In the future, the key to success will be adaptable office environments that promote collaboration and provide the best possible reflection of teamwork in all its forms. These environments will be highly mobile and function like a living organism, moving constantly and adjusting smoothly to changing requirements. When developing the TeamUP concept, our main focus therefore lay on three areas: teamwork, learning, and social contact.”
TeamUP is an ad-hoc micro workplace that brings people together but can also facilitate concentrated solo working. It forms independent working spaces and can be adjusted to individual requirements. TeamUP combines the mobility and functionality of a conference chair with the comfort of an armchair and the atmosphere of a private room. Versatile. Always. Everywhere.
It goes without saying that a project of this type needs a high-performing, innovative partner who demands the highest standards in furniture production. In Interstuhl, the renowned office furniture manufacturer with German-based development and production, the ideal partner was found. Interstuhl is also a member of Office21, a project dealing with developments and options aimed at the design of successful new working environments in companies. Frank Gfrörer, Managing Director at Interstuhl: “Right from the first presentation of TeamUP, we were convinced that this is a groundbreaking project that sets new standards and accounts for the changing conditions in the working world. We are well-known for our unusual, intelligent office furniture solutions, and that is exactly what TeamUP is.”
Versatile materials maximize both functionality and comfort
Many of the positive qualities of the TeamUP Chair stem directly from the choice of materials, which thus played an important role in the development of the design. BASF provides almost 20 different materials for the TeamUP Chair, from the wheels to the upholstery. Made from a combination of Ultramid® and Ultraform®, the wheels create a perfect balance of smoothness and friction. Additional coating with the Elasturan® polyurethane cast elastomer optimizes wheel grip on a wide range of floor surfaces. Cushions on the TeamUP Chair are made of CosyPUR® and Elastoflex® W, two polyurethane foams that ensure a maximum absorption of pressure and comfortable padding. Both foams can be made in a range of different hardness grades and provide maximum comfort whether employed together or individually. The bracket for the writing tablet is made of Ultramid® Structure LFX, the high-performance polyamide with long glass fiber reinforcement. This especially tough and stiff material can substitute for metal in a large range of possible uses. The tablet itself can be manufactured either from Ultramid® coated with Elastollan® for a special soft touch surface or from Ultramid® SI. This novel surface polyamide can also be found in the frame of the TeamUP chair. It combines the typical technical qualities of a polyamide with a sophisticated surface look, thus meeting the toughest demands of furniture makers. The midsection and seat, meanwhile, contain Acrodur®, the formaldehyde-free water-based acrylate resin. Coating with valureTM lends a sophisticated feel to the seat and rear section of the chair, while allowing for a virtually unlimited choice of colors and forms.
Jens Müller, EMEA Segment Marketing for Furniture at BASF’s Performance Materials Division: “With the TeamUP Chair, we are pursuing a market-viable product design for eventual series production. Calculations for crucial components such as the frame, including the seat, writing tablet and tablet bracket, were therefore made by our Ultrasim® experts to ensure optimum use of components and molds." Design, development, and materials competence for the furniture industry all come together in the TeamUP Chair.
As well as being presented by BASF at K 2016, the TeamUP Chair will also be exhibited by Interstuhl at Orgatec, the leading international trade show for the modern world of work, at Stand B058-C059 in Hall 7.1. Orgatec takes place in Cologne on October 25-29, 2016.
Further information:
www.basf.com/teamup
www.ito-design.com
www.interstuhl.com
www.office21.de
BASF at K 2016
Where your ideas become ideal solutions: BASF at K fair from October 19-26, 2016 in Dusseldorf, Germany, in hall 5, booth C21/D21. You can find all related press releases, photos and further information here: www.basf.com/k2016.
About BASF’s Performance Materials Division
BASF’s Performance Materials division encompasses the entire materials’ know-how of BASF regarding innovative, customized plastics under one roof. Globally active in four major industry sectors - transportation, construction, industrial applications and consumer goods – the division has a strong portfolio of products and services combined with a deep understanding of application-oriented system solutions. Key drivers of profitability and growth are our close collaboration with customers and a clear focus on solutions. Strong capabilities in R&D provide the basis to develop innovative products and applications. In 2015, the Performance Materials division achieved global sales of € 6.7 bn. More information online: www.performance-materials.basf.com.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 112,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of more than €70 billion in 2015. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information at www.basf.com.
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