In one of our most recent orders, Fleysen Furniture (almost) looked to Taiwan. Architect Petr Danda incorporated it into the interior of the Prague offices of Taiwan's national airline, China Airlines.
"I needed furniture that matched the colors of the company's logo, and I wanted something subtle that would make metal look like wood." Architect Petr Danda was clear about the material from the start. Photo: Dita Havránková
Metal furniture was an obvious choice for the architect - firstly, it is a material that is widely used in Taiwan, and secondly, it is easy to paint. And Peter Danda's goal was to match the interior, including the furniture, with colors that match both the visual identity of China Airlines and the colors of the island nation.
Photo: Dita Havránková
How did you find out about Fleysen?
I think it was through an ad on Instagram. It kept popping up and then I thought of you. Later, when I was looking for metal furniture, I immediately remembered Fleysen.
Why did you look for metal furniture?
I needed furniture that would match the colors of the company's logo, and I wanted something subtle, which metal is compared to wood. In addition, metal is often used in Taiwan because of the high humidity, so that also influenced my decision.
Can you tell us more about the China Airlines office project?
China Airlines is the national airline of Taiwan. The misleading name is related to the history when Taiwan was ruled against the will of the local population by the Chiang Kai-shek dictatorship, which promoted itself as "the real China" and named all companies China, China, China... They have been renaming since the 1990s, but it is very difficult and expensive to rename an airline - sometimes the political will is lacking.
The company needed new offices in Prague and there was very little time for the whole project. It wasn't possible to make any structural changes to the offices, so we tried to improve the interior with furniture. We combined cheaper Ikea products with designer furniture such as Fleysen. We also have custom carpentry. The company colors are pink and dark blue, so we tried to incorporate them. And because Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, is a concrete jungle in the middle of a real jungle, we added a lot of greenery.
Cabinet #2015 Photo: Dita Havránková
How did you get the job in the first place?
I have a connection to Taiwan; I studied architecture there for a year and I am interested in Taiwanese culture. In Prague, I designed the Taiwanese embassy, among others.
What were the main objectives of the China Airlines Prague office project?
To meet the deadline, to effectively combine common elements with designer furniture within the budget, and to enhance the space using only furniture.
What was your inspiration?
Primarily the colors and materials. Metal and plants are characteristic of Taiwan, as are the colors blue and green. It's an island nation full of green nature, and the main political parties are also blue and green. I added the contrast of pink, which is in the China Airlines logo.
The colors of China Airlines are dark blue and pink. Photo: Dita Havránková
What were the specific challenges of working on this project and how did you overcome them?
In addition to meeting the deadline and budget, we had to incorporate an unusual amount of storage space into the office because of the amount of paper used. Sometimes these storage areas also serve as partitions, dividing seating areas. The company also doesn't know how long they will be here, so we were looking for something that could be easily moved if necessary.
Which Fleysen product did you use in the China Airlines offices and how did it fit into the overall concept?
We used the modified cabinet #2015 and the colored shelf #1210. We were looking for slim metal furniture that could be customized in color. The customer also wanted it to be lockable, and Fleysen accommodated this request.
Cabinet #2015 with locks as requested by the customer. Photo: Dita Havránková
What was your experience of working with our company?
Very positive. While speed can sometimes make it difficult to deal with atypical details, whether in furniture or other areas of architecture, with Fleysen it was no problem to change things like locks or anything else. To avoid being at the computer all the time, I came to see the installation, and the only thing I can think of that could be improved is the assembly instructions. And a showroom in Prague would be great so people can see things in person.
What do you think would be important for other architects or designers considering working with us?
I think a big advantage for many architects is that you can change many details.
What do you think other architects and designers should be prepared for when working with metal furniture?
It's quite heavy. One of these cabinets is supposed to weigh 40 kg, so maybe 700 kg was delivered to our office. It needs to be securely anchored to the walls, but on the other hand, it's slimmer, stronger, more elegant, and it's easy to customize the color. And in general, it's always good to feel the furniture and the material, for example by assembling at least one piece yourself.
Chipsy Kuai Kuai with coconut flavor are traditionally placed next to electronic devices in Taiwan to make them work well. Photo: Dita Havránková
What projects are you currently working on? Do you plan to use Fleysen in future projects?
I'm currently finishing the cultural department of the Taiwanese Embassy, working on the reconstruction of a family house and an exhibition about Taiwanese tea in Berlin. I would like to use Fleysen again if it fits into the concept.
Collaboration:
China Airlines Offices, Prague, Vaclav Havel Airport
Architect:
Petr Danda
Fleysen products:
