Bene (www.bene.com) releases its CASUAL collection, featuring CASUAL Bench, Lounge Chair

and Table, creating places of interaction and togetherness in the office.

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Following the pandemic and working from home, many are now returning to the office, meaning hybrid working has become the norm and people are naturally asking the question: do we really need an office? 

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While interacting with colleagues is an essential part of everyday working life, it can only be fulfilled to a limited degree online. For this reason, places for informal conversation in the office, away from the workplace, are becoming increasingly important. 

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Employees attach great importance to socialising with colleagues and benefit from an environment in the office that supports this. "Third Places" (away from the desk and home office) represent major hubs where people across the entire company can come together, encouraging social interaction, increasing employee engagement and facilitating meeting and collaboration in a relaxed and dynamic environment. 

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“The office is not only a workplace, but also a place of community that fosters a sense of belonging to the company and gives an organization its identity,” explains Michael Fried, Executive Board Member for Sales, Marketing and Innovation, Bene.

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Designed by Bene designer Christian Horner, the inspiration behind the CASUAL Collection is the park bench. Just like in the office, people meet sitting on a park bench in a planned or random way. These are places of togetherness and interaction. Developed to be just as robust as the construction of park benches, the CASUAL Bench is no exception. In contrast to the park bench, the CASUAL Benches and CASUAL Table are available in three heights.

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The CASUAL Bench is available as a Single Bench or Double Bench, with or without a backrest, enabling the user to sit at the same height as a person standing so they can converse eye-to-eye.

The CASUAL lounge chair is perfect for comfortable and relaxed sitting. Thanks to the CASUAL Lounge chair’s pleasant inclination, the user automatically adopts a relaxed posture. 
 
Christian Horner made sure that CASUAL was sustainable right from the product development stage. The resource-saving use of materials forms the basis of the design. The bench frame was optimised so that it offers the necessary stability while also remaining as light as possible. 

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CASUAL will be exhibited for the first time at Clerkenwell Design Week 47 - 53 St John Street, London, EC1M 4AN between 24th and 26th May 2022.