KI sponsors furniture design summer school

KI has sponsored this year's Buckinghamshire New University Design Summer School, which focused on the integration of communication technology with furniture.

The company, alongside the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers (WCFM), sponsored the event for the sixth year running.

The WCFM Training Committee, in conjunction with KI and Bucks, decided to focus this year's brief on the integration of technology, particularly pertaining to communication, with furniture.

KI designs and manufactures furniture for educational, business, healthcare and government institutions globally.

Project manager Dr Lynn Jones devised a programme of activities in collaboration with KI, the WCFM and Lago, the host company in Italy.

Lago is a furniture design company based near Venice and Padova.

Students presented their ideas to the directors of the company on the last day of the workshop.

Jonathan Hindle, group managing director of KI in Europe, Middle East and Africa, encouraged the team to contact Italian designer Giancarlo Piretti, who created the Plia folding chair.

He has designed many pieces for KI over the years, including Torsion on the Go and Hurry Up as well as the Strive seating collection.

Piretti talked to the group and allowed them to visit his design studio in Bologna.

The brief this year was to research, develop and design ideas for furniture or furniture-related products that integrate technology for either domestic or contract markets.

Students were asked to create a completely new idea or review an existing concept.

The presentation of work produced at the workshop will be held on 14 September 2010 at the Furniture Makers Hall in the City of London.

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