Middle Atlantic, in conjunction with BOLTGROUP, earned recognition recently from two global design competitions – the Good Design awards and the International Design awards. Both awards were for the Forum Collaboration Suite.

The Good Design 2022 award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design is billed as the first, oldest and longest running design prize in the world that honors all design achievements ranging from product, packaging and user experience to interior architecture and concept. Forum earned recognition in the furniture category.

The International Design Awards (IDA) focus on architectural, interior, graphic, fashion and product design. The Forum earned a bronze award in the office equipment/furnishings/modules category.

Middle Atlantic began developing the Forum Collaboration Suite in 2020 as a response to expected demand for addressing meeting equity in a hybrid conference space. As companies began deploying return to office plans, they discovered new challenges. Previously acceptable conferencing spaces were not able to provide seamless experiences for hybrid teams. This project presented a unique opportunity to provide the functional features necessary for hybrid conferencing while delivering a complete aesthetic system that could fit into a variety of environments. 

“We’re known for making rack systems that often work behind the scenes. With furniture solutions, we are always looking to enhance the aesthetic to fit the expectations of the architect and design community,” said Dean Wheelan, Associate Product Manager, Middle Atlantic. “BOLTGROUP was a key partner in the visual design language research and development to find an end product that resonates across the community.” 

The Forum’s modular solution adapts to the needs of the office today and tomorrow. Designed at a time when the future of the office was not certain, one thing they did know was they needed a flexible system to respond to fast-changing circumstances. The iterative process guided the team through a series of designs that led to the current design. 

Matt Green, Senior Industrial Designer at BOLTGROUP, said many of the initial prototypes leaned toward a futuristic “Star Trek” look with lots of curves and embellishments. To their surprise, when they shared concepts with focus groups, the overwhelming choice was a minimalist design that would best work with existing architecture – one that provides functionality without pulling focus from the room’s aesthetics. This was an “a-ha” moment in the process that led to making a solution that blended into the environment rather than present as a statement piece. 

Aesthetics went beyond one manufacturer. Middle Atlantic was able to take advantage of existing materials from another Legrand brand, Focal Point, to enable better acoustic control over the meeting space through strategic placement of acoustic felt. This also provided a more consistent look across brands for a whole-room solution. 

Addressing the uncertainty of the future office culture also required a modular system. Architects and specifiers were understandably hesitant to commit to specific layouts. The Forum can adapt to the changing needs of the space, and more tables or displays can be added as they get a clearer picture of in-office needs. 

“Legrand’s and Middle Atlantic’s customer base aren’t so much the target we were aspiring for on this project. We focused on appealing to the architect and designer,” said Jamey Boiter, Principal | CEO at BOLTGROUP. “That’s part of what led us to where we went with the name itself. Forum, by definition, is a place where ideas can be exchanged.” 

“From an architect standpoint, forum is a very common word, evoking the buildings of Rome and Greece,” said Chris Cureton, Vice President of Brand Design at BOLTGROUP. “It was a place where everybody can come and be seen and be heard. Everybody has a place at the table.”

The Forum Collaboration Suite continues to be updated to accommodate 21:9 aspect ratio displays, dual displays and additional table options that address a continued shift in videoconferencing expectations. For more, visit legrandav.com/forum.