FX Awards 2018 Winners
Public, Leisure or Office Furniture
Winner: VON Collection by Ercol Furniture
Image Credit: Brian Ferry and Brad Stephens
Sponsored by Informare
Ercol saw the opportunity in the market for a system of modular seating that was a revolutionary design. Designer Hlynur V Atlason, commissioned to design this piece, took Lucian Ercolani’s classic 427 chair from 1956 as the initial inspiration to create a range fit for now; a new product to work in a wide variety of environments, residential, hospitality and office. Atlason’s research-driven response analysed the increasingly blurred boundaries between home, work and leisure, and focused on bringing the comfort and warmth of home to places that traditionally lack in this sensibility, without compromising the functionality expected of contract furniture.
This was achieved through use of a warm natural material palette, including European ash, and friendly forms, made with the construction typologies found in the Ercol archives.
The functional flexibility of the VON system is built around a number of simple variations of the VON chair that can be used individually, or be combined and linked in multiples via a concealed connection plate. Free-standing lounge chairs, armchairs or chairs with task table attachments sit comfortably alone, or can be combined to create anything from small sofas with or without arms, to long runs of seats suited to reception areas or airport lounges.
When used with the accompanying magazine table, VON fits neatly into and around corners, or can be run in any winding linear shape of the customer’s choosing.
A free-standing bench with pad creates further seating opportunities within larger arrangements, or works equally well alone in domestic settings, or as a coffee table with pad removed.
VON is manufactured in England in Ercol’s advanced and highly sustainable 16,000 sq m facility, and all timber finishes are water based.
The judges said...
‘Beautiful reimagination of a timeless hand-finished wood classic’
Finalists & Judges’ Comments
STUDIO by Bene
‘Double table top allows storage of thin handheld devices’
Bedouin by BroomeJenkins
‘Handy flexible partition – would be good for universities as well as workplace’
Centuro by Casala
‘A beautiful chair on castors is elegant and warm through use of wood’
Palau collection - Capsule by Casala
‘The hollowed-out look conveys a feeling of calmness, safety and comfort’
ABUELA by Gaber
‘Functional and versatile – perfect for many settings’
Aeris Seating System by Grimshaw
‘Offers an excellent range of sitting, working and relaxing positions to meet travellers’ needs’
ELEMENTS by John Walsh / Made & Conor Farrell / Farrell Furniture
‘Uplifting workspace furniture – domestic yet functional’
Ruckus by KI
‘An excellent design for a school chair. Extremely versatile, allowing many different sitting positions’
Belt by Modus Furniture
‘Portable seating solution with vibrant colour options’
The Terrace Collection by Studio Hemal Patel
‘Mimicking traditional hill-farming terraces makes them outstanding architectural pieces’
