Steelcase (SCS) has brought designs by architect Frank Lloyd Wright to the work from home era. The newly created Racine Collection is a line of home office furniture from the Grand Rapids, MI based firm. The Racine Collection is re-interpretation of Mr. Wrights 1939 work for the SC Johnson Administration building located in Racine WI. Steelcase manufactured the original furniture for the project in 1939.
Frank Lloyd Wright futurist
Not only was Frank Lloyd Wright a groundbreaking architect, he was also a futurist. Stuart Graff, President and CEO The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation explained how in 1932 Frank Lloyd Wright predicted work from home and how the new pieces fit with Mr. Wright’s vision of the future.
One of the things he says is we no longer need to go into the dense dehumanizing urban cores to work. We’ll be able to use new technology like radio waves, because that was the new technology in 1932, to send our work to these central offices.
The collection initially includes desks and chairs. The Frank Lloyd Wright Racine collection desk has a multi-tiered tubular tabletop that can be 84-inches long. The terraced shelf, originally meant to improve paper flow can now be used as a monitor stand. For being 80+ years old, the Racine desks look incredibly modern. With everything elevated off the floor, cleaning around the desk is easier.
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The collection is available in black, bronze, and, the walnut and Racine red configuration of the original designs. The colors are derived from a photograph of Wright’s pencil set.
Faithful to mid-century modern originals
The 1939 mid-century modern style of the designs remains faithful to the originals. Some changes were required for the work from home era. The desks and chairs were increased in size, as Steelcase found that only 20% of American men would have leg clearance in the original design. The iconic three-legged chairs have also been modified to have four legs, due to stability concerns. Other details, like changing the spring-operated drawers in the desks to magnets, were also implemented.
General manager of partnerships at Steelcase Meghan Dean said “…it was important to be in dialogue with the [Frank Lloyd Wright] foundation and say ‘hey, we have a better way’ without affecting the original.”
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The re-interpreted mid century modern furniture is not for the faint-of-wallet. The Frank Lloyd Wright Racine Desk can cost you over $9,000. The accompanying chair costs over $2,400. Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation CEO Graff said, “Legacy is a living thing and not a backwards-looking art collection…”
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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.