TA N G R A M I N T E R I O R S
MODUL AR LOUNGE
VOL. 3
PUZZLE
PUZZLE MOD ULAR
LOUNGE
OUR LOCATIONS
SANTA FE SPRINGS 9200 Sorensen Avenue
NEWPORT BEACH 1375 Dove Street, Suite 300
DTLA 527 West 7th Street, Suite 1204
BAKERSFIELD
ABOUT TANGRAM Tangram is an innovator in the design and execution of highly creative interior environments and workspaces. The firm collaborates with clients as a creative partner to create and manage environments that enhance the client’s brand and culture through the expert integration of technology, furniture, floor coverings and service solutions. It creates extraordinary value by providing a remarkable experience throughout each customer’s life cycle of needs. A flagship dealer for Steelcase, Tangram also represents hundreds of other well-known, leading brands.
CONTACT US Headquarters: 9200 Sorensen Avenue Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
7415 Meany Avenue
FOLLOW US FRESNO 677 West Palmdon Drive, Suite 101
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RIVERSIDE 1650 Spruce Street, Suite 302 Pictured on Cover: Meander by Keilhauer
TA NGR A M
I NT E R I OR S
© Puzzle Vol. 3 - Modular Lounge
562.365.5000 tangraminteriors.com
A LETTER FROM MARKETING Silicon Valley companies like Google and Apple have created a new movement in workplace wellbeing that gives employees more power than ever before to choose what they want in their workplace, from onsite dry cleaning to daily yoga classes. However, if this is unattainable for your company, smaller scale gestures may have just as much of an impact on employee satisfaction—from healthy snacks to biophilia and height-adjustable workstations. What these all have in common is that they express the employer’s care for the wellness of their employees. The emerging workforce is drawn to a personalized work experience, expressed through choice and control in their environment. Responding to this shift is necessary, because when an employee has the chance to define their working mode and posture, the more engaged they are and the higher quality of work they produce. As more than one-in-three American labor force participants are Millennials, there is more value than ever before placed on the office interior, company culture and the daily experience. This is why we chose modular lounge for Puzzle Volume 3. Lounge areas that are customizable to the user’s needs are vital in achieving this choice and control. It is our hope that these carefully selected modular lounge pieces will inspire you to create an adaptable workspace that encourages innovation, employee wellness and an elevated work experience.
Paul Smith, Chief Marketing Officer
STY L EX
Y O O M 4
The Yoom lounge collection is defined by its soft, simple forms and unrestricted configurability. Carefully considered proportions and upholstery construction ensure that Yoom offers a highly comfortable sit. Each upholstered element can be used in multiple ways, not only encouraging customers to create their own unique vignettes, but also to rearrange the units they already have as their needs evolve. 5
N EVI N S
C L I M B 6
Composed of six inspiring simple form units, Climb transitions with the needs of the space and evolves with the changing elements and desires of the environment. Configure it individually for solitary study, or group pieces. Break the mold of traditional work styles with the versatile components of Climb, which foster creativity to flourish in different work postures. 7
MODULAR LOUNGE
KEI L H AUE R
M E A N D E R The Meander marries residential style with contract durability. Full, plush cushions appear to float above the ground to provide a serene lounge space. Meander can wind and curve through spaces at 70 and 90 degree angles, to create a massive, multi-functional space, or smaller units can be used individually to create an intimate, inviting environment. Removable ganging legs allow units to be configured and re-configured as spaces and needs evolve.
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I CF
A P E R I 10
Aperi arrives to the modern office with welcoming touchstones of softness and support. Its compact monolithic form brings a sense of calm to the work environment.
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B ER N H AR D T
N E I G H B O R H O O D 12
Designed by Airbnb co-founder, Joe Gebbia, Neighborhood is a modular collection of furniture that focuses on facilitating more intimate connections in the workplace. 38 unique modules range from high-back units to sofa sectionals and tables, which can offer everything from an intimate nook for a private meeting, to an open lounge for collaborative conversation. 13
MODULAR LOUNGE
B O L I A
S E P I A The Sepia sofa range allows you to bring an elegant Italian lounge style into your workspace. High comfort and quality materials are perfectly combined with great design and stylish details.
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S C AN D I N AVI AN
SPACES
S P I N O 16
The Spino modular sofa introduces a playful element into the office, meandering through space with gently rounded lines that inspire creativity in terms of shape and color. A sofa without legs. Without front and back. With or without a backrest. The modules are linked together to create Spino – a word borrowed from esperanto that means ‘backbone’. 17
B L UD O T
C L E O N 18
Cleon's modular pieces are designed to let you configure and reconfigure your own perfect seating solution. Stick with your favorite or switch it up. These upholstered components can be connected to create multiple size and shape possibilities. Zig-zag stitching detail and gentle pleating at the seams round out the package. 19
MODULAR LOUNGE
B O S S
D E S I G N
AT O M Unique in its adaptability, ATOM has been designed to respond to the way people interact with their working environment. Extensive, adaptable and elegant, ATOM makes every space matter.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN KENN
By Torie Hamilton
Los Angeles-based designer Stephen Kenn of Stephen Kenn Studio, alongside his wife and business partner Beks Opperman, use their furniture as a conduit for connection. Partnering with several artisans, they are opening a curated Los Angeles loft this fall designed for community, hospitality and an elevated shopping experience.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN KENN
The Studio “I’ve always learned from taking things apart,” says Los Angeles designer, Stephen Kenn. Astonishingly, this Montreal native never received formal design training, but it was instead his ability to form meaningful connections with local artisans and makers that allowed for him to learn and create, eventually establishing Los Angeles-based Stephen Kenn Studio seven years ago. Today, Kenn and his wife Beks Opperman, the soul and drive behind the operations of the studio, share their space with those who hold mutual love for exceptional goods and meaningful connection. The showroom doubles as their home, creating a more personal shopping environment that allows for the furniture to be experienced, rather than observed.
“Once people are all sitting on the furniture, conversation happens, and that’s what we’re really interested in,” says Kenn.
The Inheritance Collection Kenn first learned how to make sofas by deconstructing a thrifted one. He found himself more interested in the internal components than the external—so much so, that he wanted the typically concealed bones of the structure to be the highlight of the piece. A chance encounter with a military supply warehouse led to Kenn’s first Los Angeles-made furniture line in 2011, the Inheritance Collection. Upholstered with vintage military tent canvas and held in place by Swiss military-issue mule belt replicas, the original Inheritance sofa was met with immediate success that continues through today. Catching the eye of companies such as Tommy Hilfiger, J.Crew and Deus Ex Machina, there is a distinct attraction to his unique materiality and forms. The freedom to customize upholstery, finish and accents, has allowed for many customers to engage in the design process and create a piece that captures and enhances their space. This flexibility has allowed for this particular sofa to continue to hold its relevance through the years even as the consumer’s gaze shifts towards emerging design trends.
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“As material trends come in and out, we can adapt and play in that space. Not to say that we want to just respond to what’s trendy, but participate in what’s happening in culture through this vehicle,” says Kenn.
Worthy of Repair With a focus on minimal designs, local manufacturing and intentional material, Kenn’s design motto is “creating objects that are worthy of repair.” And it is with this foundation that he challenges the typical understanding of sustainability. “If you create these love relationships between people and objects, I think they’re going to care for their objects more, and then pass them along and that’s, in some ways, more sustainable,” says Kenn, “I’m always looking for materials that appreciate rather than depreciate.”
PEOPLE + OBJECTS
“If you create these love relationships between people and objects, I think they’re going to care for their objects more, and then pass them along and that’s, in some ways, more sustainable.” 25
PEOPLE + OBJECTS
The Loft Project The pair recently took a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland, where they stayed at the pleasingly minimal architect-designed home, Porteous’ Studio. The attention to detail and cohesive design was achieved by younger creatives looking to connect like-minded individuals. It was this small apartment, utilized by design-focused travelers and local makers, that inspired Kenn and Opperman towards their current project, says Opperman. “It’s fun to know that our intention is also being shared by people around the world in these small communities,” says Kenn. The intention being hospitality. Kenn and Opperman moved into their original loft not knowing a soul. In an effort to change this, they opened their garage door every morning and made a pour over for anyone who stopped by in exchange for conversation. This simple gesture soon expanded to Back Door Coffee Club (BDCC), evenings in their space with like-minded people as a chance to connect and learn from one another. The Loft Project is Stephen Kenn Studio’s newest development. Kenn and Opperman purchased the light-filled design loft next to their showroom in order to fill it with their furniture alongside other fine curated goods and products. Their hope is to create an elevated shopping experience that forms a seamless interaction between curation and creation. Beginning in the fall, this space will be available for overnight stays as well as smaller scale events, including BDCC. The hope is that each individual who stays in the loft will get the intentional time with the products in order to make an educated and heartfelt purchase.
“What you like and what you’re drawn to is often times subjective to your experience," says Opperman, attesting to how their purchasing habits have been influenced by the shopping experience itself.
However, beyond that, Kenn and Opperman hope to create an environment where people leave feeling cared for and attended to. Situated in an industrial part of Los Angeles, the loft is a tangible representation of the potential of space. Filled with fine curated goods, such as light fixtures by New York-based lighting studio, Allied Maker, and fine gym equipment by Japan-based brand, Itani Athletic, the hope is for users of the space to be inspired by quality pieces and relationships. “Because we shop that way and we travel that way— looking for human connection with the things we’re doing, the food we’re eating, the products we’re buying— this was always a dream to be able to somehow create that for our customers,” says Opperman.
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AN INTERVIEW WITH STEPHEN KENN
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VI CCAR B E
S I S T E M A 28
Sistema is not only a sofa but a complete system composed of independent elements. So, for the first time the client can compose and adapt a sofa using imagination to suit his or her taste and needs. There is a range of different arms, backrest, seats and accessories to choose from. These elements will be expanded with newly developed components each year, thereby creating an innovative concept that adapts to every situation, never seen before.
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AL L ER MUI R
H E N G E 30
Henge is a modern interpretation of the classic club and tuxedo lounge, a hybrid of organic yet tailored shapes, with wedge shape seating that allows endless configurations for any space. The unique two-tone upholstery detail adds a sophisticated design element, while the separate seat cushion can be upholstered in complementary or contrasting textiles. 31
MODULAR LOUNGE
AN D R EU
WO RLD
D A D O The geometry of Dado, graphic and essential, contains a series of subtle details. Its upholstery proposes a combination from the main fabric, the welting and to a series of small bands that define the shape of the seat, especially the seam that, matching or contrasting, frames the interior upholstery that distinguishes its design.
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CO AL ESSE
L A G U N I TA S 34
From the conventional to the casual, the Lagunitas Lounge System adapts to changing work styles and shifting work postures. Lagunitas creates a “third place� anywhere while offering multi-modal support and varying degrees of privacy through high and low panels. The unique articulating back cushion allows for toggling between lean forward and lean back postures. 35
GUS
M I X 36
MO D ER N
M O D U L A R
The Mix Modular sofa lets you mix and match components and fabrics to build a custom sectional, sofa or seating group to perfectly suit your space. The tight seat and back give the design a cleanlined, contemporary look, and each component has French seams to subtly soften the edges.
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MODULAR LOUNGE
CO AL ESS E
AWA I T Await's staggered ganging capabilities exemplify versatility and functionality in transforming space. Sharp tailoring featuring topstitch detail speaks to the sophisticated styling of Await. With power and data options, coordinated tables, Await creates contemporary niches of dramatic in-between spaces and casual conferencing.
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N ORMAN
CO PEN H AGEN
R O P E 40
The inspiration for Rope has been drawn from classic furniture design. This can be seen in the piping, which marks the edge of the furniture in an understated and elegant way. It is precisely this detail that the designer Hans Hornemann has highlighted and turned into a fundamental element of Rope. The design plays with dimensions and curves in order to give Rope an expression that is simultaneously minimalistic and full of character. 41
MODULAR LOUNGE
KEI L H AUE R
J U M B L E Jumble is an upholstered lounge seating system for public areas in lounges, receptions, lobbies and even corridors. Three pieces – based on the seat height, arm height, and back height of traditional sofas – are available in single and double lengths. They can be used as stand-alone pieces, or connected to create modular seating clusters. The ganging hardware allows for asymmetrical, off-center connections.
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VER PAN
C L O V E R L E A F 44
In the world of interior design, few names are as evocative as Verner Panton. The designer emerged as an influential name in the 1960s, combining futuristic shapes and playful colours to create unique shapes previously unseen. The Cloverleaf Sofa is the perfect combination of function, comfort and style. It makes a fantastic first impression thanks to its waves and curves, with the offset backrest meaning both front and back can be used for seating. 45
A N I N T E R V I E W W I T H C H A R L O T T E W I E D E R H O LT
Charlotte Wiederholt has been designing and building since she could walk. Now the President of custom furniture division Tangram Studio, she expresses creativity through functionality, from furniture to her own home.
A N I N T E R V I E W W I T H C H A R L O T T E W I E D E R H O LT
How did you get involved in design in general and furniture in particular?
What is your educational background in the field?
I have always loved to design things. From a young age,
I studied Industrial Design and Fine Art. Conveniently,
I was always building wood toys, forts, cobbled-together
the School of Fine Art was next door to the School of
bikes. I began crafting furniture not long after, drawn to
Architecture, where the Industrial Design program was
it for its functionality. I’ve only ever been interested in
held. I started taking every studio class I could: foundry,
building things with purpose and furniture will always
neon sculpture, lost wax sculpture, hammered copper.
have a role.
It was a perfect balance for me to have the freedom to create without the restrictions of the Industrial Design program, while simultaneously gaining the
Did you have any formative childhood, school or young adult experiences?
straightforward application. Most of my family members have careers that are science or engineering based, so the practicality of Industrial Design has always felt right to me.
Growing up, my dad had a small woodworking shop in the basement of our home. Within that space, I was allotted a small pile of wood in the corner that was mine to do what I wanted with. My dad was kind enough to lend me several hand tools that I would use to tinker for hours, just creating and building. As for my mom, I loved accompanying her to the dump by our house where she would take our trash. It became a weekly ritual for my mom and I too see what gems we could uncover, from scrap metal to discarded toys. I spent countless hours pulling parts from trash and reworking them into something new. When I was 12, I built a small greenhouse in our backyard using scrap wood, a discarded door and plastic from Home Depot. Fast forward a few years to college when my boyfriend at the time gifted me a welder. It was at this point that I transitioned from wood to metal as my material of
"I’ve only ever been interested in building things with purpose and furniture will always have a role." What is your general approach to and philosophy on design?
choice, and now spent all of my free time going to the scrap yard by my school in Scottsdale to gather metal
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and build furniture. I realized I should start taking the
Design should function, and it should be well-balanced
craft more seriously when I dropped off four of my pieces
and proportional. Materials should be appropriate for the
at a local gallery and each one sold.
use. I prefer simple and clean over excessive and ornate.
Are there designers or artists who you respect and find inspirational?
Why is design important in people’s lives?
I was greatly influenced by the Bauhaus movement
Good design has the power to make a space feel
with its clean lines, simple use of materials and German
comfortable and relaxing. It’s a subconscious force—
influence. There is a current artist, Tara Donovan, who
you simply feel better when you are in a well-designed
makes beautiful sculptures from mundane items, like
space. With more distraction and chaos in today’s age
Styrofoam cups and pins. I immediately fell in love with
than ever before, the need to feel a certain level of
the simple practicality of her work.
peace where you work and live is heightened.
What drew you to commercial as opposed to residential design? I’m drawn to the scale of commercial work. It allows for more creativity and space to produce exceptional solutions. I’m also drawn to its fast pace. Limits instilled by deadlines and client desires push the design. You have to be resourceful under a tight budget and time frame, and I like the challenge of it all.
What drew you to fabrication as well as pure design? There is no better feeling than seeing a project from start to finish, or from design conception to final product. Simply put, I could never imagine removing myself from the creation process after the initial design. There is so much value in seeing the project through the entire process. It allows you to learn what works and what doesn’t, allowing room for improvement with each project. 49
A N I N T E R V I E W W I T H C H A R L O T T E W I E D E R H O LT
Good design has the power to make a space feel comfortable and relaxing.
WHERE FORM MEETS FUNCTION
What kinds of personal interests, activities and hobbies relate to your design work?
What do you see as important issues in design today (trends, misconceptions, missed opportunities, etc.)?
I spend a lot of my free time working on my own house.
I am endlessly thrilled with the makers movement. I think
I design room to room, ripping each back to the studs
consumers are tired of the soulless, mass-produced and
to rework and rebuild it to be what I want it to be at that
cheap products that are being pushed on them. There’s
present time. My home is like a lab for my ideas to flow
too much readily available to the point that it’s beginning
freely. It doesn’t have to be perfect, on-time or by-the-
to feel like gluttony. That being said, it’s exciting to see
books. I have ultimate allowance for trial and error, to
an appreciation and value placed on goods that are
create free of restriction and compromise. I think it’s of
designed and built with intention by local artists and
the highest importance for creatives to have a space to
studios. It leads me to see the value in my own craft
invent, uninhibited by judgement, deadlines or budget.
even more.
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MODULAR LOUNGE
CO AL ESS E
T O G E T H E R A sleek architectural masterpiece, Together elevates the upholstered bench to an impressive new height while reinventing the corner seat. Corner shapes define space and create rooms within rooms; straight benches offer open seating. An inviting destination with a statement of intent: meet. The Together bench makes itself at home in every setting.
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VI CCAR B E
S E A S O N 54
The Season sofa consists of two rounded volumes, a cube and a vertical rectangular piece that express the act of sitting through a very simple, almost sculptural approach. The three modules allow to create different compositions giving more value to the lounge experience. As defined by designer Lissoni: “The best design is the one that is simple and clear after a complex process.� 55
MODULAR LOUNGE
SC A ND I N AV I AN
S PACES
B O B A sofa providing almost unlimited options, constructed using the smallest possible number of modules. Where ordinary sofas are usually rectangular, square and predictable, Bob offers the architectonic freedom to either challenge or adhere to all types of spaces.
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B O
CO N CEPT
O T TAWA 58
Got a creative mind? Designer Karim Rashid surely does, and with Ottawa he invites you to play and customize. Ottawa has a tight look but is an extremely flexible concept, inviting you to create your own space. Put your feet up, stretch out or use it as an extra seat – you won’t be sorry for choosing this comfortable chaise lounge sofa. 59
AR PER
S T E E V E 60
Steeve is a modern, modular system imagined for the refined work environment. Customizable in a wide range of fabrics, leathers and finishes, Steeve’s silhouette is solid and architectural while at the same time appearing slender, light and volumetric.
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MODULAR LOUNGE
B O L I A
C O S Y A design that effortlessly combines voluminous cushions and a narrow frame. COSY is a modular sofa that, all at once, is elegant and extremely nice to sink into. Honest materials and exquisite craftsmanship. A new classic.
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MO R O SO
B I K I N I 64
I S L A N D
Bikini is a landscape which is a child of its times and the society it represents. The seating system is absolutely flexible because there is no need for the layout of the space and the arrangement of the seating components to correspond. The components are varied in both look and function so that, unusually, they can be used in any setting, turning it into the open heart of interaction. 65
MODULAR LOUNGE
V I C C ARB E
S T E P Modular
sofa
of
exquisite
proportions,
multiple
compositions and surprising comfort. Step's hand stitched seams add warmth to this unique architectural collection ideal for corporate establishments.
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D AVI S
Q 6 68
Inspired by how people work today, Jonathan Prestwich has created Q6 which addresses the need for different kinds of working spaces. The Q6 bench allows for privacy screens and has added padding and seating suspension for even more comfort.
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MODULAR LOUNGE
B OLI A
O R L A N D O The Orlando modular sofa combines simple design and functionality with a delightful lounge ambiance. It consists of various modules which, thanks to a solid 'click' system makes it easy to put together the combination that best suits your space.
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A C C E S S O R I E S
1.
PRODUCTS 1 . B O L I A - B R E A K F L O W E R P O T, 2 . B L U D O T - D U C K D U C K P I L L O W , 3. GUS MODERN - GR A DIENT RUG, 4. VITR A - TOOLBOX, 5 . H AY - E C L E C T I C C U S H I O N
2.
4.
3.
5.
Tangram was founded in 1963. Today, we are the leading interiors solutions provider in Los Angeles with offices in Orange County, Downtown LA, Fresno, Bakersfield and Riverside.
PUZ Z L E VO L . 3 TA N G R A M LO O K B O O K