In modern workplace design, the hunt is well and truly on for products that do it all, facilitating spaces that are dynamic, adaptable, and flexible to suit rotating staff days and the rise of the mixed-use typology. Perpetually at the precipice of industry, Zenith understand the needs of architects, designers, and end-users, and their releases over the last half-decade have facilitated a more seamless shift to a contemporisation of the sector.
In 2022, the brand released Alter, a range by New Zealand-based furniture designer Scott Fitzsimons that looked to create inviting spaces. Paying homage to wood at its foundational material, Alter arrived in the post-pandemic haze, servicing workplaces that were mobile, interchangeable, and even impromptu with it’s organic frame and warm palette of upholstery looking equally at home in hotels, and cafes as it did in a traditional office. Following the success of the initial launch, Zenith have released the all new Alter Metal: a sleek reimagining of the foundational release that merges strength and style in both form and concept.
Workplace reimagined
The new Alter Metal range continues the same design language of the original iteration, emulating the comforting familiarity of the domestic environment but with commercial durability. The warmth of the original forms remain in the plush upholstery and delicately rounded frames, but the addition of steel as the core material brings a robustness that makes the collection even more suited to high volume areas.
Catering to the evolving needs of modern, multipurpose workspaces, Alter Metal offers lounge chair, dining chair and stool silhouettes, with options to suit hybrid spaces including dining and breakout areas. The Alter Metal lounge chair is a steel framed version of the original timber framed chair that maintains the same relaxing angle while offering maximum comfort with a large cold cured foam seat. The rounded steel frame of the Alter Metal Dining Chair also closely echoes its original, keeping the distinguishing flanged edge detail while creating a juxtaposition with the soft cushion.
As multi-purpose areas increasingly gain popularity in the hybrid workplace, the Alter stool offers the ideal solution for touchdown, breakout and informal meeting areas. At 650mm tall, the metal-framed bar stool features a footrest for comfort and a reduced back foam seat, for an elegant option for a number of collaborative and social areas.
A new dawn of design
As ways and styles of working continue to change, so too do our design needs, with the boundaries of traditional typologies being reworked and cross pollinated to create beautiful and functional spaces. Following on from the success of the first Alter range, Zenith and Scott Fitzsimons have continued to crack the enigma of the modern workplace, forging an adaptable collection that merges the aesthetics of residential designs with the function of commercial pieces. With Alter Metal, strength and style come together to create forms that build modern workplaces, allowing for flexibility and fluidity in the way we work, collaborate, educate, and inspire.
