About T.D.U (Touch Down Unit ) by UNIFOR, Exclusive Interview Marco MATURO, Studio KLASS:
-Ergonoma Journal (EJ)-Why did you also develop “a complete portable workstation” sort of “suitcase desk” including even storage? while there are on the market adjustable work tables of reduced size just as mobile? All “our” files are now in the cloud or in the memory of our PCs?
Marco MATURO (MM)–Touch Down Unit has been designed for those like freelancers, managers and consultants who occasionally visit corporate’s office for a specific reason such as meetings or other activities. This means they probably do not have their own reserved desk inside the space, so they usually ask to be “host” at someone else’s desk or office where they could leave their jacket, bag, bike helmets or any kind of personal effects.
Starting from this assumption, what these professionals need is not just a desk, but is a sort of “nest” where they could find their own space inside the corporate’s office; UniFor has always been keen on develop solutions for the contemporary office space. TDU has been designed considering all of these aspects, allowing the user to work and charge his laptop but at the same time to store and lock its personal effects.
EJ-Are you selected for the IF award (The winner in the Product category for the Office discipline) ? Studio Klass or you have you ever been already “awarded”?
MM–Touch Down Unit has been awarded with the IF Design Award 2020 in office category. Yes, our Studio has been already awarded with the same prize back to 2014 with a floor lamp designed for FontanaArte.
EJ-What is your vision of custom design in the Office universe?
MM-We think custom design will remain a priority for an office company to stay in the global market, it’s definitely one of the main requested feature for supporting the increasing quality of contemporary office; at the same time it is also important to develop products with an industrial “soul” designed to be as customizable as possible to meet the client needs.We think the mix between these two aspects are essential for an office company to be a big player in the market.
EJ- What are the materials in the TDU to be able to assert: “TDU is an ecological project manufactured according to the principles of sustainability.”
MM-Touch Down Unit brings innovation to the market not only from the typology point of view, but also from the mechanical’s one: most of the high-adjustable desks in the market works through electrical system, which means they have a motor inside. Thanks to UniFor long-lasting expertise and know how we developed a movement which works through a mechanical process made of pulley and load. Moreover TDU is mainly made in Aluminium – which is 100% recyclable using only the 5% of energy of the primary one.
source: Ergonoma Journal n59