Orgatec

Last month the lovely German city of Cologne hosted one of the most important events for the contract furniture market: Orgatec. The fair happens every two years and brings together some of the most important manufacturers, such as Herman Miller, Haworth and Giroflex. Although the fair has been much bigger in the past, it still is a must attend event for specialized architects and designers.

The big trend this year was the “human office”: furnishings for the office are adapting to individual needs, providing maximum comfort, in order to make the hours spent at work more pleasant. Natural finishes and soft fabrics are some of the features showcased at Orgatec 2010. Here is a sneak peek of my favourites:

Sayl Chair by Yves Béhar for Herman Miller

As seen at Vitra

As seen at Nurus

A hint of nature within the office environment

lamp table attached to the table top, an example of hybrid furniture

All in all, there were no overwhelming launches but good, affordable and more realistic products everywhere. It seems like all the technology is not that exciting anymore and simplicity is the key to comfort and cosiness.