We are truly grateful for this acknowledgment and to be among such an esteemed group.

For more information on Ray, Allseating and The Chicago Athenaeum Good Design Awards, follow the links.

We entered this project with no pre-conceived ideas as to what the solution might look like.  We knew that we wanted something minimal in terms of material.  Maybe something that was made from a single material, so that recycling was easy.  Something that was simple to have made and shipped.  Activity on this project waxed and waned until one day an earlier proposed idea took form from a piece of piano wire. As soon as it met the edge of the desk, we knew the solution had revealed itself.    All it needed now was some way to generate more friction, which was accomplished (after some more complex ideas) by some simple rubber bands.

All components are manufactured within 500miles of our office, with minimal tooling and as little as possible impact on our planet.

Adding to its benefits is the fact that is covers a wide range of worksurface thickness- from ¾” to 1-3/8”.  It ships flat, fits in a standard envelope (No.8), with standard postage.

Mounting:

1. With the spring and elastics in place as shown, flex the outside arms down, while at the same time supporting the inside arms.
2. While flexed bring the Greenhorn up to the edge of the surface you want to attach to, having the inner legs and the short elastic on top of this surface.
3. Push the Greenhorn onto the surface as far as it will go.  Ensure that the elastics on both top and bottom are not twisted.
4. Feed desired wires through the elastics as shown.

Warnings:

1. Greenhorn is a spring.  Disengaging the device may result in it moving in an unpredictable direction.  Please take care when mounting and dismounting.
2. Never use the Greenhorn without the 2 rubber bands in place.  Using Greenhorn without these in place can result in injury.
3. Always mount as indicated with the small rubber band on the top surface.  Mounting upside down can result in injury if the Greenhorn is disengaged/ dislodged.
4. Strong pulls on any cables or wires mounted with the greenhorn may result in disengaging or dislodging.  This may result in it moving in an unpredictable direction.

There is a patent pending on the utility and design of the Greenhorn.

We are offering Greenhorn for sale at $10 each including shipping.  If you would like to place an order or order more, please pay though paypal by clicking the button below, or contact us directly by responding below.

Typical design projects are about producing a product. But what if your challenge is a process, that you cannot find a solution to?

Chris McDonald, head chef and owner of Cava Restaurant and XOCOCAVA in Toronto, had to identify his delicious chocolate truffles with 2 letters. His idea was to brand them with a heat stamp. figforty designed a quick change stamp system to use customized letter pairs identifying the chocolates. This was a 1 off product that solved a process problem practically and effectively. And now we know which chocolates we are eating, which is important when flavors range from Cedar, to Chorizo sausage.

This Lo-fi design was made from a simple starting block. A curling iron. Who knew that curling irons had many different sizes and up to 40 temperature settings! The reasoning behind using a curling iron was that it delivered controllable heat and had a build in clamp that could serve as the holder and quick release for the stamps. From there we went back and forth with Chris on format and ergonomics. Brian Wilson of Craftwright machined up the pieces and Sarmas engraving cut the letter profiles.

We are pleased to announce that Lee has been invited to speak at the International Interior Design Association neoconnect 2009 event in Newport Beach California, Thursday October 22nd, 2009.  He will be giving a presentation on the work of figforty, and our studio’s approach to designing objects.

Cista will be on display from June to November 2009.

The projects contained here are a selection from the past 2 years work.  Please look around, get in touch, or make comment, we’d love to hear your thoughts!  We have chosen a rather fluid format for this site, keeping the door open for regular updates, new links, and feedback.  So please mark this page, and keep coming back, the aim is for this site to evolve with our work.

Ray is a chair that results from a very rational approach to form giving.  The formal character intends to create a counterpoint to the typical expressed high functionality of ‘exo’ skeleton chairs.  We wanted something ‘quieter’, something that may not date so quickly, and thereby last longer - both functionally and visually.  All the elements arise from an analysis of it’s function, and that directs its form.

The major components are articulated in such a way that high use contact areas are fabric, and are interchangeable for refurbishment, where other longer lasting components are aluminum, a far more enduring material than plastic.

Part of the ‘quieter’ form is a result of a ‘systems’ approach to the creation of a chair.  It’s a visual expression of the technical approach. Many chairs are created as singular objects, varying in size and arm and finish options, but not cross platform.  Our design background is in the world of contract systems furniture, where all parts have to be interchangeable, and work with much of what has come before, and what is yet to come.  We brought this approach to Ray, with a view to creating a product ‘platform’ that allows for many formats without the creation of entirely new chairs.  The rational formal approach allows for greater interchangeability, without the dedicated singular application of each component.  The seat and back are transferrable across task, conference, side, lounge and bench seating.   With the introduction of a few new key components, these highly tooled parts can be transformed and used on other chairs. This creates a better solution for enterprise wide applications.  Not only is the form consistent across applications, but it also allows for a degree of interchangeability should some elements of certain chairs need refurbishing  adding to its sustainability as a product line.

photographic credit to Luis Albuquerque

Previewing at Neocon:  Allseating Showroom #394, 3rd floor   |   June 2009

available to order Fall 2009

You offers a full contact mesh back that articulates in such away to custom tailor its profile to fit anyone.  Our involvement began part way through its development, assisting in the refinement of its form, and most specifically in the development of an intuitive, reliable and highly functional mechanism to control the shape of the back itself.

photographic credit to luis albuquerque

Previewing at Neocon:  Allseating Showroom #394, 3rd floor   |   June 2009

available to order Fall 2009