Allseating is launching Prata, their latest collaboration with Carl Gustav Magnusson. Prata, meaning “to speak” in Swedish, is a conference chair that utilizes a suspension mechanism concealed within its seat frame that automatically reacts to the weight of users so they can recline comfortably.
An aficionado of vintage luxury cars, Magnusson integrated many automobile-inspired features into Prata’s design. “The contract market is saturated with great conference chairs, but upon closer look, we identified a common shortcoming and developed a simple, proprietary solution to improve the modern conference chair’s functionality,” says Carl Gustav Magnusson of CGM Design. “It’s not enough for a chair to provide features —design matters— paying attention to details such as where a person’s arm falls as they sit and understanding how they internalize levers, will result in a chair that offers more than just features, but seamless, user-friendly functionality. This is exactly what we sought to accomplish with Prata.”
Its upholstery applies traditional craftsmanship techniques of saddle-stitched seams along the chair’s undulating shape, and as individuals usually approach conference chairs from the back, Magnusson designed the back to have a subtle curve that is visually inviting. The shell of the chair is intentionally neutral and available in a variety of combinations, including leather, fabric, dual fabric, or contrasting patches of different materials. Prata is available in a polished aluminum finish and has two back height variations, low-back and mid-back, to expand design possibilities.
Prata’s innovative design has garnered substantial attention even before its official launch. The chair is a Bronze Winner of the International Design Awards (IDA), a winner of Chicago Athenaeum’s Good Design Awards, an honoree of Fast Company’s Innovation by Design awards, and a Finalist in Interior Design’s Best of Year Awards.