Coalesse, Lagunitas
Product Development
Lagunitas is a 67-piece lounge furniture system designed by Toan Nguyen. I led design development for 3 years, bringing Toan’s CAD renders to reality.
Early prototypes
Lagunitas was building on three core experiences; Perceived Privacy in an open landscape, Work & Lounge Postures, and Lower Seat & Table Height to encourage more social interactions. One of the first exercises the team conducted was building very rough 1:1 scale prototypes to quickly validate these leading user experiences.
Simplicity vs. Complexity
One of the key needs for systems based furniture is the balance between, enough parts to allow for flexibility, versus too many parts that burden design and development. I conducted repeated studies to ensure that the system was both lean and robust at the same time. This lego kit approach allowed Lagunitas to be configured in an infinite number of applications while enabling the team to meet an on-time launch.
3D Knit
Lagunitas can be specified in upholstered fabric or 3D knit mesh. I directed and lead both upholstery and 3D knit development across color, patterning, and final construction. Pictured here are knit test panels evaluating color.
Table Development
Further application development drove the need for additional occasional tables to be added to the overall collection. I helped develop the strategy and dimensions for 3 accessory tables which would support personal, social, and collaborative work settings.
Pilot Builds
My career has always been in-house. I believe that having a design voice present from early concept to the factory floor is key in maintaining design intent. Pictured here was one of many factory validation builds to train employees as well as assess upholster-ability across various fabric types.
Launched
Lagunitas was launched in 2013-2014 to immediate success. Winning a Neocon Gold award and enabling architects and interior designers to create new work destinations within the constantly changing office environment.
