When furniture matches airline colors

I needed furniture that would match the colors of the company logo and I wanted something subtle, which metal is compared to wood. — architect Petr Danda

How did you hear about Fleysen?

I think it was because of the advertisement on Instagram. It kept popping up in my mind, then I had you in mind and when I was looking for metal furniture later, I immediately remembered Fleysen.

Why were you looking for metal furniture?

I needed furniture that matched the colors of the company logo and I wanted something subtle, which metal is compared to wood. Plus, metal is used a lot in Taiwan due to the high humidity, so that's why I chose it.

Can you give us a closer look at the China Airlines office project?

China Airlines is an airline, the national carrier of Taiwan. The misleading name is related to the history, when Taiwan was ruled by the dictatorship of Chiang Kai-shek against the will of the local population, who profiled himself as "the real China" and named all companies China, China, China... Since the 1990s, they have been renaming them, but renaming an airline is very complicated and expensive - sometimes there is a lack of political will.

The company needed new offices in Prague and there was very little time for the entire project. It was not possible to make any structural changes to the space in the offices, so we tried to improve the interior a bit with furniture and combined more affordable products from Ikea with designer furniture such as Fleysen. We also have custom-made joinery elements. The company's colors are pink and dark blue, so we tried to bring them here. And because Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, is a concrete jungle in the middle of a real jungle, we also put plenty of greenery here.

How did you even get this job?

I am close to Taiwan, I studied architecture there for a year and I am interested in Taiwanese culture. In Prague, I designed, among other things, the Taiwanese embassy.

What were the main goals of the China Airlines Prague offices project?

Get it done on time, combine common elements well with designer furniture within the budget, and elevate the space with just furniture.

What was your inspiration?

Mainly the color scheme and materials. Metal and plants are characteristic of Taiwan, as are the colors blue and green – it is an island country full of green nature, the main political parties are also blue and green. And to that I added the contrast in the form of pink, which is in the China Airlines logo.

What were the specific challenges while working on this project and how did you solve them?

In addition to meeting the deadline and budget, the office needed to have an unusual amount of storage space because there is a lot of paper used. Sometimes the storage space also serves as a divider and separates seating areas. Plus, the company doesn't know how long it will be here, so we were also looking for something that could be easily moved if necessary.

Which Fleysen product did you use in the China Airlines offices and how does it fit into the overall concept?

We used a modified cabinet #2015 and a colorful shelf #1210 . We were looking for slim metal furniture that could be customized in color. Another requirement from the client was that it should be lockable, and Fleysen met that requirement.

What was your experience working with our company?

Very positive. As it was fast, sometimes it is a problem to solve atypical details, whether in furniture or in other spheres of architecture, but with Fleysen it was not a problem to change, for example, the locks or anything else. In order not to be at the computer all the time, I came to see the assembly, and the only thing I can think of is to improve the assembly instructions. And a showroom in Prague would be great so that people could see things.

What do you think might be important for other architects or designers who are considering working with our firm?

I think for many architects, it's a huge benefit to be able to adjust a lot of details.

What do you think other architects and designers should prepare for when working with metal furniture?

It is very heavy. One cabinet supposedly weighs 40 kg, so it could have been 700 kg in our office. It needs to be anchored well to the walls, but it is slimmer, stronger, more elegant and can be easily colored. And in general, I would say that it is always good to touch the furniture and materials, for example by assembling at least one piece yourself.

What projects are you currently working on? And do you plan to use Fleysen in any other projects?

I'm currently finishing up the cultural department of the Taiwanese embassy, renovating a family home, and doing an exhibition about Taiwanese tea in Berlin. I'd be happy to use Fleysen again if he fits my concept.