Winners are (generally) grinners!
Winners are (generally) Grinners! ... Especially when a winning product is involved
We really enjoyed losing said no one ever!
On the other hand winning has quite a bit to be said for it! … and right now … we’ve got that winning feeling!
If you’d told us a few months back that on May 17, we’d be stepping up to the microphone on a big stage in the Sydney Opera House to make an acceptance speech for the furniture piece judged as the best design in the much acclaimed 2018 Good Design Awards … you might have to forgive us for not believing you.
We are never guaranteed an easy ride … and in fact some days it is nothing short of hard work … but then comes one of those bonus moments when you get an unexpected, even-if-well-deserved win against the odds.
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From as far back as February, this year’s 60th Anniversary of the now internationally recognised awards program was being hailed as arguably the biggest night for design in the history of the nation. (Other people’s opinion – not necessarily ours) … but the popular and well respected Dr Brandon Gien hosted the world standard program and the venue and the size of the crowd did suggest it was on a pretty big scale! Jan Utzon, the son of the Opera House’s Danish Architect Jorn Utzon, even participated in the presentations in person.
What’s even better is that we were to receive not just one – but in fact two Good Design Awards for two of our most innovative furniture pieces. We knew they were good but it’s great when an independent panel of 40 of the best design professionals have judged your product to be of that class.
While on the surface the old saying is ‘winners are grinners’ and there were a lot of smiles on that night which have continued to this day … (heck- we’ll be the reigning winners for the whole year ahead) … but there were some other positives to come from this beyond the more obvious bragging rights.
Firstly, the products themselves are both very fit-for-purpose pieces. In essence we already knew we were on a winner with the Framery Phone Booth and also the equally ingenious Sedia ‘JumpSeat’. Mostly because they are so brilliant at performing their primary functions.
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In the JumpSeat – a product that came about because an earlier design concept was proving problematic – which called for a new solution to not only address the first issue but provide additional value for the users and facilitators.
What was the end result? An absolutely brilliant concept which ‘provides a seat where there isn’t room for a chair!’ ... "And why would I want that?" you might ask ... well, to start with ... because of the thousands of applications for exactly that situation. An auditorium that is constantly overcrowded because the seating capacity is simply not meeting the demand in the numbers of attendees.
You can turn a corridor into an instant waiting room without compromising emergency egress. You can add a row of seating at the back of any room and even squeeze seating in tight spaces like compact change rooms, end of trip facilities & any location where you might need to manoeuvre a wheel chair on short notice. The judging panel’s comments were especially positive –
“A practical and super elegant solution which removes the need for hinges and parts. The seats create a gorgeous space when used as auditorium/theatre seating and the clever use of fabric also provides great acoustic advantage in large spaces. Fit for purpose design and so very simple. The design takes away the risk of pinch points so often found in theatre seating design. Overall, this is an outstanding piece of design that meets a need in an elegant and innovative way. So simple in appearance and use, but fabulously clever in design and engineering.”
What was also very positive and very effective in restoring our confidence in the integrity of such forums … there was simply no financial benefit in the judges choosing to grant these awards to us over anyone else. It’s very easy in this day and age to be a touch cynical and assume that just about every result that involves judges is heavily rigged and pre-determined to satisfy various interests … but in seeing this result unfold it was especially encouraging to see that a choice wasn’t made for the purpose of accommodating any one of the traditionally popular brands or to keep certain influential types happy … but rather to seek out and pay homage to whatever design the jury (judges) so deemed to be the best.
As The Meta Collective had taken the product to market in Australia and overseen the nomination process it was very gratifying for all of us that are part of the collective. If there is one thing that beats an individual win it's a team win.
The Framery O Acoustic Phone Booth also won a Good Design Award. It also is a well-deserved winner and has to date been an even more popular product in our market. The need for true privacy for both phone calls and skype calls has created a demand which must be satisfied. The fact that the Framery booths are so well resolved and genuinely modular – so you can reposition them with remarkable ease – as layouts change and even ‘take it with you’ when you relocate office is a key advantage.
The fact that some of our well known corporations are already acquiring up to 20 of these units at a time indicates that the concept is not only being embraced but being seen as an integral element in good open office layouts.
Framery have now launched the 2 – 4 person meeting booth and we are now even seeing opportunities for these two products to be used together … so watch this space.
The Awards Program released the following comments on Framery as part of their recent press release:
“Introduced to Australia in 2017, the Framery is an innovation originating from Tampere, Finland. Facilitating concentration and collaboration in private settings, adoption as a retro-fit acoustic solution in offices such as Google, Twitter and Amazon, the Framery Phone Booth is a game changing product to enter the market”
If you haven’t checked out JumpSeat or Framery O as yet … don’t delay. There are some introductory offers for those in the Australian / New Zealand markets.
Of course an award doesn’t guarantee record sales levels – but what is most exciting about these two products is that the designs are in themselves true problem solvers … so the main challenge is just making sure the public at large know that the solution to their situation has now arrived! And winning a very high profile award certainly does help achieve that!
Of course it is fun to dress up in a tux (or a nice dress) for a few hours and be gracious winners. We do congratulate the other winners as well but it is certainly nice to know that so many of design experience have given their ringing endorsement – or in this case the ‘big tick’. Both products were showcased at a special exhibition on Sydney Harbour during the Vivid festival but no matter which state or territory you are in – you can check them out for yourself.
For any information on the JumpSeat or Framery Acoustic Booths - contact one of The Meta Collective dealers across Australia and New Zealand and discover more for yourself.
https://good-design.org/projects/jumpseat/
Jason Mark is a director of Offiscape, Brisbane and international correspondent for The Meta Collective – now supported in Australia & New Zealand through nine dealership showrooms. Direct enquiries +61 419 827272