The Plus Paper

Since the newest product Tablet from the Standard Line appeared on the market in Lithuania and Europe and the sales is going on successfully, we noticed interest in product in number of websites.

Introducing the interview with designer Dalius Razauskas in The Plus Paper:

Spring Clean in Style With Innovative Foldaway Desk

There are two types of people: the curators, and the mess-makers. Those with pristine work-spaces straightened to perfection, and those with desks cluttered with post-its and coffee cups. Lithuanian furniture and jewellery designer Dalius Razauskas, in collaboration with furniture design and home accessory company EMKO, has designed an innovative new desk that caters to both. In the PILL desk, compartments revealed by foldaway work surfaces make up a circular unit that folds up flat against the wall. The result is a work station that allows you to be maximally tidy, with minimal effort – with a healthy dose of minimalist aesthetics to boot.

PILL is made to be attached to a wall at its user’s preferred workspace height, and the compartments inside are generously and variously sized to accommodate folders, laptops, books, and other personal effects. Dalius and EMKO are tuned into the modern worker’s requirements, with each desk fitted with sockets and optionally including LED lighting. So no more fighting for the plug-side seat. In fact, there’s a third type of person: the type who looks at a foldaway-desk and sees a foldaway mini-bar. Now all we need is a book-shaped bottle…

 How messy are the furniture designers and collaborators who work to keep their customers uncluttered? Let’s hear from Dalius and EMKO…

The Plus: PILL really going to help people de-clutter –are you guys good at keeping your spaces junk-free?

Dalius Razauskas: I would say that morbid mess on my table was the main reason for the PILL to appear –as one ancient philosopher said, “you wish what you lack”.

EMKO: This was exactly the reason for us falling in love with Dalius’ PILL as soon as we saw it –our office is small and our team workplaces are also compact. So not only we were in need of such a workplace, we also received many inquiries from our clients.

TP: How does EMKO ensure that it supports its designers? What’s the company ethos?

EMKO: We want our products to stay in service for a long time, more than for just one generation, therefore we plan for each item to be produced very responsibly. We produce each prototype together with the designer to fulfill their vision most accurately, and at the same time to ensure its solidity and durability. We select certified materials, buy them from reliable producers, and test them after production of the first specimen.

TP: What made you realize that there was a hole in the market for a foldable desk?

DR: I think for a long time the design market has had absolutely no empty niches. It’s oversaturated with everything. Unfortunately, this abundance contains only very few items which are good, in the sense of ideas, materials, fulfillment, aesthetics, novelty, and talent. An artist only has to create a good product, and it will simply take its place in the almost-empty market of good products. If only it were as easy as it sounds…

TP: What materials do you make this from? How would you define the style?

DR: The materials: plywood and painted MDF have been selected taking into account the form of the product and the demand for individual transformations. I would define the recipe of this design as an aesthetic of minimalism and constructivism.

TP: What kind of challenges are posed by designing a collapsible workspace?

DR: The main challenge is to ensure that the functionality of the workplace would not suffer, and to make the transformation very simple and reliable. I had to consider including a convenient supply of energy, lighting, and space for placement of a computer, typical document binders, stationery, handbag, and even a printer.

TP: It’s clearly a functional product, but what sort of aesthetic requirements did you have?

DR: Since for me simplicity and aesthetics are synonyms, the foundation of this design is a form that’s as clear and as pure as possible. The round shape of the PILL also stops the user being able to jumble its appearance by stacking items on top of it. A restrained selection of materials and colours enables you to subtly enrich an interior of any style.

TP: What are you working on next? Any other foldaway furniture pieces?

DR: While creating the PILL, a few other interesting variations of the foldable desk theme emerged. Currently we are developing them. The other method is to try to adapt the benefits of the round shape for the furniture for other functions.