A modern work space with a welcoming atmosphere Thonet furniture at the Josef Rädlinger headquarters in Bavaria
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The new head office of the Josef Rädlinger construction company sympathetically incorporates contemporary office premises into a former monastery. The harmonious result, designed by architects from the practice Berschneider + Berschneider, is a modern yet convivial working environment in the Bavarian town of Cham. For the interiors, the architects have specified many of Thonet’s timeless, versatile and made-to-last pieces to furnish throughout, from individual offices to conference rooms and meeting spaces. This coherent choice is a nod to the project’s focus on sustainability and makes a significant contribution to the elegant yet relaxed atmosphere of the complete interior renovation.
This extensive furnishing array is almost a showcase for the full range of the Thonet product portfolio, from functional and beautifully formed icons of design within the workspaces, to comfortable conference chairs servicing the meeting rooms, and classic coffeehouse and bar furniture populating the lounge areas and restaurant.
Design classics to enhance the contemporary workplace
The light-filled offices in the repurposed building offer stunning views of the surrounding forest and form the perfect setting for new, progressive ways of working. When it came to exactly the right furniture, the architects from Berschneider + Berschneider relied on high-quality design classics from Thonet. One of their choices was the S 285 tubular steel desk with walnut elements, created by Marcel Breuer in 1935. The desk represents a piece of modern design history and offers ample space for essential task-oriented equipment. It is flanked by the elegant and versatile B 97 side tables in a complementary design.
Also among the durable and sustainable tubular steel classics from Thonet are the cantilever chairs from the S 43 range, designed by Mart Stam in 1931. Set out as guest chairs with vibrant orange seats and backrests, they add a pop of colour to the individually styled offices.
Meetings at Rädlinger HQ benefit from the use of comfortable S 64 V cantilever chairs with armrests. The characteristic Viennese canework on the seat and backrest lends these tubular steel chairs a light look, making them an ideal fit for the various conference rooms in the building, all of which are bright and welcoming. In the refined design scheme of the meeting room, with its feature arched windows and in which small workgroups can gather in privacy, the organically shaped 209 and 209 M bentwood chairs echo the shape of the original monastery’s fenestration. This classic chair, created around 1900 by the Thonet brothers, is considered a masterpiece of design and manufacturing and has been favoured by architects such as Le Corbusier thanks, not least, to its memorable sculptural form.
A coffeehouse ambience replaces the typical canteen
The former monastery, which was completely gutted and renovated during the conversion project, now houses rooms for training courses, customer and company events as well as the firm’s own kitchen together with a restaurant and bar for employees. The stately dining hall forms the heart of the building. Striking pendant lights and a ventilation system integrated into stylised gilded organ pipes are a reminder of the room’s religious past. Black-stained 214 (No. 14) chairs, an iconic Thonet design, create a dramatic contrast to the original oak parquet flooring and create an ambience more reminiscent of a coffeehouse than a staff canteen.
This pioneering bentwood chair invented by Michael Thonet in 1859 is still considered the most successful industrial product in the world: It marked the beginning of modern (mass-produced) furniture. With its clear, minimalist aesthetics, this timeless piece can comfortably find its place in the most diverse of settings.
In the spectacular dining hall at Josef Rädlinger, the 214 chairs are accompanied by coral red bentwood armchairs from the 233 M range, which propose colourful accents. The former monastery building now also incorporates a bar, with a design that takes its inspiration from Italy. Flanked by glass-framed iconic Italian advertising graphics, a set of shapely 204 MH bentwood stools invite guests to linger and chat at the beautiful marble counter. Their combination of black-stained beech wood and brass-coloured steel foot rings is the perfect finishing touch for this elegant interior.
Thonet showroom in the UK: 3rd Floor, 104-110 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7DH T +44 (0) 7980 019 194
