Double Dutch

Studio TK builds new licensing and creative partnerships in The Netherlands with Artifort and Feiz Design Studio

At the heart of every highly functioning organization is a collaborative culture that enables teams to work together when they want to—but also find a quiet spot away from the action. Furthering the new social office landscape, Studio TK has crossed the pond to collaborate with two Dutch design powerhouses: Artifort, a 128-year-old modern furniture company and Feiz Design Studio. The new partnerships will provide Studio TK clients with even more choices for lightweight and mobile furniture that employees can easily reconfigure throughout the day.

“The Beso Seating Collection designed for Artifort by its Creative Director Khodi Feiz of Feiz Design Studio is one of four products we’re distributing within this new partnership,” says Charlie Bell, President, Studio TK. “Cesto, an interactive collection of seating and table elements, is a product also designed by Khodi Feiz, specifically for the Studio TK collection.”

It’s a win-win. Artifort is eager to expand its distribution into North America. Studio TK will not only be marketing, selling and distributing some of their products here, but also making those products in North Carolina with an eight-week lead time—a much more competitive selling proposition than making product in Europe and shipping it across the Atlantic.

“We saw a great opportunity based on the design heritage of Artifort,” says Bell. Like Teknion, Artifort is a family-owned company with a tremendous understanding of the importance of well-designed products and quality execution. The partnership was also attractive because it adds interesting new depth and breadth of product selection and renowned international designers to the existing Studio TK collection.

Artifort and Studio TK also attract the same types of clients seeking design-oriented solutions that enhance the social workspace. Artifort’s Beso (Spanish for “kiss”) is an affordable and highly versatile chair program that meets the needs of the North American market by encouraging long but comfortable periods of work with others. This transversal collection includes a chair, armchair, lounge and two stool heights that work in cafe environments, conference rooms and lounge settings.

Cesto (Spanish for “basket”) is also truly mobile. Feiz describes Cesto as a “soft system with standardized elements that create social spaces.” He adds, “The idea was that you have these base elements—or baskets—which you then fill with different functionalities to create furniture typologies. That’s how it started; and, because of this informal analogy of a basket, Cesto is very friendly and approachable in its design language.”

Feiz worked closely with Studio TK on Cesto. The design brief focused on the collaborative workplace and inspired an innovative family of seating, table elements and poufs that are very easy to move around. “Users can create impromptu spaces where they can sit together and talk,” says Feiz. “Then, when you want to work on your own—because Cesto’s elements are all mobile and on wheels—you can scoot to the back of the office to work privately or talk on the phone.”

With Cesto and Beso users can choose how and where they want to work. “This fits within the Studio TK brand,” notes Dan Winer, Product Manager, Studio TK. “The office environment is changing to provide more places to build culture through social interaction.”

By Diana Mosher