KI’s Strive seating selected for Norman Foster-designed building at University of Oxford
The University of Oxford’s Manor Road Building, designed by Sir Norman Foster, is home to several units of the Social Sciences Division and the unified Social Science Library. Overlooking the adjacent River Cherwell, the four-storey building is arranged around a central atrium and provides a variety of spaces including an auditorium, lecture theatres, seminar rooms, common areas, staff offices and a canteen.
As a world leader in research across the social science disciplines, the facilities provided play an important role in the student experience and their learning outcomes. Working with TOP-TEC, the University has refurbished the IT Room located on the 2nd floor, reconfiguring it to support bring-your-own-device (BYOD), and no longer has individual IT equipment provided in the room. Rows of 3-seat power supply benches are arranged facing the front. This allows the room to be utilised for presentations and seminars if required, for which lecterns, height adjustable desks, screens and projectors are provided. KI’s Strive task chairs have been selected to provide mobile, height-adjustable ergonomic seating for the space.
Chosen for their simple, yet elegant design, these chairs were specified with a black base and warm grey poly shell to complement the room’s calm, clean and focussed feel. In addition to these Strive task chairs, matching Learn2 chairs with Strive seat shells were also selected to provide students or presenters with additional, more flexible and collaborative seating. Learn2’s ambidextrous, large swivelling tablet arm also accommodates different writing styles and better collaborative working. Its underseat storage allows the user to keep their bags and materials close to hand and off the ground, reducing clutter and trip hazards. All chairs have been enhanced for extra comfort with upholstered seat pads.
Simon Ferguson, Sales Director at TOP-TEC comments: “The University’s brief for this space was to be collaborative, interactive, flexible and comfortable. KI’s Strive seating complemented these requirements perfectly - very comfortable and robust, the chairs were also selected for their 15-year warranty.”
Oto Velicka, project manager and deputy senior facilities manager at Oxford University, adds: “The Learn2 chairs give the space an added element of reconfigurability. The chair’s clever design adds excellent functionality with its storage rack and generous tablet arm – and being able to specify them with matching Strive seats allowed us to maintain a consistent aesthetic throughout.”
KI’s Strive seating collection of simple, elegant and comfortable chair designs
KI’s Strive seating collection designed by Giancarlo Piretti, is a wide family of simple, elegant, comfortable chair designs which are also available in a wide choice of polypropylene colours. All have a unique, flexible back with a wire rod inserted into the polypropylene to encourage movement and relaxation. The back curve provides lateral support and the contoured seat dissipates pressure points. This robust and comfortable seat shell is available in 4 leg, nesting, high density stacking, stool, task chair, and task stool options.
KI’s Learn2 Creates Versatile Learning Environments
Adaptable, dynamic and ideal for collaborative work – KI’s Learn2 seating creates the flexible learning environment all students need. Created to transform educational spaces, Learn2 can easily go wherever needed to highlight both team and individual work.
KI’s Learn2 can be configured in every way imaginable to fit a broad range of learning styles and requirements. With its adjustable dual-handed worksurface and flexible seat swivel, the Learn2 chair still does not compromise on comfort in favour of function as both features are maximised. The tablet arm is suitable for left, or right-handed users, and can be moved aside if not essential, or when getting in and out of the chair.
The tablet arm’s imaginative design gives students the choice to create a shared worktop within seconds, but still allows for personal space as users will not be bumping in to each other.
Available with 4 seat shell options, Intellectual Wave, Doni, Strive and Grazie, the Learn2 chair comes in a variety of colours to create a stimulating and vibrant learning environment. With a 15 year warranty, KI’s Learn2 is not only the height of contemporary, flexible design but also promises to be durable and long lasting.
The Learn2 chair is the ultimate piece of furniture to compliment the frequent collaborations of today’s learning environments. The new generations of students have shown a clear favourability towards flexible work, often choosing to utilise a variety of spaces. Because of its adaptability, the Learn2 can be used in conjunction with these various environments and allows the desired work style to be implemented.
Instead of dictating its surroundings, the Learn2 chair is designed to be an extension of wherever it is placed, highlighting the space’s flexible nature.
About KI
KI’s furniture helps the world’s leading organisations create happy, healthy, high performing working and learning environments for their people. Bringing together good design, advanced engineering and sustainable resources, KI’s products are durable, flexible and offer excellent value. Founded in 1941, KI (Krueger International, Inc.), is headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA. It is fully employee-owned and has grown to become one of the world's largest, most respected furniture manufacturing groups. KI’s EMEA headquarters and showroom in Central London is supported by an established network of manufacturing facilities and distribution partners across the UK, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit: www.kieurope.com