Design at Klöber:
“Products to love for life – that’s our mission”
Owingen, October 2016. First impressions count – that applies in particular to
office furniture. But looks alone are not enough in the long term. So office
furniture specialist Klöber creates products that are a practical combination of
design, ergonomics and functionality. Jörg Bernauer – designer and product
developer at Klöber since 2008 – gives us the low-down on the challenges this
entails, as well as how it is put into practice at the company.
Editor (Ed): Good design is more than just making things look pretty – would
you agree with that?
Jörg Bernauer (JB): Absolutely. Of course good looks are important. Thanks to the
distinct, modern forms with flowing lines and transitions, every office chair we design
is both timeless and enduring – a success every time. But that’s just the beginning:
good design encompasses far more than that. Our goal is for our office seating to
tick all the boxes relating to both ergonomics and function. For instance, chairs often
look stylish yet don’t allow natural movement. Or a task chair has so many hidden
buttons and levers that it’s almost impossible for the sitter to set it to the correct
ergonomic position. By contrast we aim to design our products “from the inside out”,
so that function and appearance are always closely intermeshed. We are uniquely
able to develop and realise every product in line with these principles because all
our mechanisms, functions and components are made on site.
Ed: What’s your usual approach to product development at Klöber?
JB: What makes Klöber special is the open corporate culture and close interdepartmental cooperation between teams: product management, sales, designers,
developers, draughtsmen and craftsmen work hand in hand as a team. Whilst in
some places it is customary for designers only to be consulted at a later stage in the
development of complex products to basically provide the cover for the so-called
“pre-development” stage, I'm always involved in the process right from the start.
Thanks to this strategy it is sometimes the case that commonly-used mechanisms
are questioned and adapted for our particular needs. Once these concepts become
Klöber GmbH  Bürositzmöbel  www.kloeber.com  [email protected]
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more specific, we manufacture functional models and prototypes in our development
lab. We also have an in-house development upholstery workshop where we create
solutions for healthy and comfortable sitting. It is ultimately these synergies that
bring us to a convincing result in terms of both appearance and function.
Ed: And yet the appearance is the deciding factor for many buyers. How do
you react to the latest trends in the workplace and office environment?
JB: Current trends aren’t necessarily just a matter of design. One often arises from
the other. The key criteria I was looking at for the ConWork conference chair – and
now for our newest product, the Connex2 – are easy operation and functionality.
Most office chairs require a complex set-up procedure before the sitter can access
their full ergonomic potential. This means that many users fail to realise the variety
of options available to them, or simply feel overwhelmed. The result is that key
functions frequently remain unused. The solution: chairs that adapt or move
automatically, as well as easily-identified elements whose intended purpose is
intuitively clear to users. The Connex2 has both of these features.
Ed: Can you explain in more detail? What were your main considerations
during the development of your latest task chair, the Connex2?
JB: When we were developing the Connex2 we focused on the individual at all
times, because we wanted to make the sitting experience as comfortable and
straightforward as possible. The sitter has hardly any settings to worry about with
Connex2, yet their sitting position is perfect thanks to the automatic functions. We
added a touch of colour to make operation even easier: there are three colour-coded
levers for regulating the seat height, depth and lumbar support. So with its automatic
adjustment, really easy operation and exceptional sitting comfort, Connex2 offers all
the features you’d expect from a high-end task chair.
Ed: To sum up, can you describe the benefits of the Klöber design philosophy
in a single sentence?
JB: That’s easy: our design simply works!
Klöber GmbH  Bürositzmöbel  www.kloeber.com  [email protected]
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Images:
Pictures can be used free of charge as long as “Klöber” is credited as the image source
The new Connex2 office chair from Klöber
will impress any sitter with its ergonomics,
functionality and aesthetics, as well as being
particularly easy to use.
Jörg Bernauer is a designer and product
developer at Klöber, and has been with the
company since 2008.
First of all Jörg Bernauer sketches his ideas
on paper, until forms, lines and motion
patterns gradually start to take shape.
Inter-departmental teamwork is a key factor
to ensure that as many perspectives as
possible are included in the development
process.
Klöber GmbH  Bürositzmöbel  www.kloeber.com  [email protected]
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