by Brianna Crandall — June 27, 2018 — Allseating, a Toronto-based designer and developer of seating solutions for every situation, recently revealed the newest version of its acclaimed Exchange Collection. Exchange was on display during the NeoCon contract furnishings show in Chicago earlier this month, at Allseating’s Chicago showroom across the street from The Merchandise Mart.
The system is comprised of just seven injection-molded plastic components and a series of support rails, which allow the user to create 2,725 possible configurations to fit various space requirements or preferences. Image courtesy Allseating
Designed by Nick Gillissie in collaboration with Allseating, Exchange is a modular soft seating system that responds to the demand for furniture that supports both active work and relaxation in today’s constantly evolving corporate, education, and healthcare environments. The system is designed to be very durable and easy to maintain, with easy-to-replace fabric and minimal parts inventory, and sold at a good price point.
Designer Nick Gillissie, founder of Nick Gillissie Industrial Design, explained:
The Exchange Collection was designed with simple, but powerful intent: flexibility. The first Exchange collection was about the needs of the moment, but the latest version of Exchange is about the needs of the day. The 21st-century end-user does not want to be tied down by restrictive design — they want the freedom to set up spaces that are useful, elegant, and interchangeable. Exchange is not just a place to sit, but a destination with everything needed to comfortably work for an extended period of time. The first collection provided the building blocks, but this second collection provides the functionality.
Gillissie explains the process behind the concept and design of the Exchange system in a YouTube video.
According to Allseating, the Exchange Collection is an achievement in both aesthetics and engineering. Said to be the first of its kind on the market, the system is comprised of just seven injection-molded plastic components and a series of support rails, which allow the user to create 2,725 possible configurations to fit various space requirements or preferences. From single chairs, to banquettes, to open-plan collaborative enclosures, companies can adjust the system to suit the ever-changing needs of their employees. Exchange’s understated modern aesthetic, as well as its versatile sizing, allows for visual and functional continuity between soft seating applications across the board, from reception to cafeteria.
Designer Gillissie says Exchange is not just a place to sit, but a destination with everything needed to comfortably work for an extended period of time. Image courtesy Allseating
Exchange is strategically designed to account for future additions to the system. In concepting the injection-molded plastic core, Gillissie thought to include spaces not yet necessary, but that will serve a valuable purpose in future workplaces as styles continue to evolve. Exchange enhances its ability to fit seamlessly into a variety of office schemes with its latest additions, which include laptop tables available in 16 paint colors and 13 laminate options, and three additional leg offerings — walnut legs with metal accents, a chrome wire base, and chrome flat bar legs.
Additionally, Exchange has expanded to include 36-inch tables and power-enabled 120-degree tables to support serpentine configurations. New translucent screens, as well as taller and longer screens, allow for increased privacy. The new high-storage unit with shelving and hooks offers workers, students and hospital visitors alike an additional place to temporarily store or place possessions.
Gary Neil, CEO of Allseating, stated:
At Allseating, it is our mission to design seating solutions that evolve and stay relevant to the needs of today’s workplace and customer by answering the concerns most paramount to designers and their clients. Adaptability, affordability, simplicity in specification, timeless aesthetic, the supreme in functionality — Exchange was purposefully designed with careful consideration of the workplace. It is truly an all-encompassing solution, and we could not be prouder to share its evolution at NeoCon this year.
For additional information on Exchange and Allseating’s vast catalog of seating solutions, visit the company’s website.
