A particular talent of ai3 is their ability to look beyond showrooms and catalogs to solve challenges that their clients face everyday. Over and over again in their work, they have conceived of products that don’t exist and then set about to create them. This talent for invention has led ai3 to develop a series of products that are stylish, creative, and incredibly useful.

Recently, ai3 and Loewenstein have partnered to introduce Tangent, a modular lounge series that reinvents the way we view seating. Capable of changing the way a space functions through simple reconfiguration, this modular lounge collection is suitable for hospitality, corporate, higher education, and restaurant environments. Conceived as a versatile solution for commercial design, Tangent features a  system of cushioned seats and walls and operates like a refined LEGO® set, snapping easily together or apart. Cleverly concealed plugs and clamps secure the pieces together from one arrangement to the next.

As part of the vision process for Tangent, the designers at ai3 studied the many ways that individuals approach seating. They found that people often change their position depending on their activity. To be as flexible as possible, Tangent was built to allow for a range of postures and parties. Whether perched on the back of the lounge, relaxed with feet outstretched, or engaged in conversation on the edge of one’s seat, Tangent fits.

Likewise, Tangent is a stroke of space-saving genius. Configured as one unit, it can accommodate more individuals within a particular space than with traditional lounge seating. Tangent makes the most of square footage by bringing people closer together without compromising personal space. The dimensions of Tangent are intentionally configured so that its back and corner pieces are wide enough to maintain a sense of individual space from side to side but are not so wide as to discourage interaction.

Perhaps the greatest feature of Tangent is the longevity that it affords a space. With Tangent, multiple alternatives can be achieved within a budget, allowing for designs that can be refreshed and reinvented as needed. Tangent is a smart solution for high-traffic spaces. Materials specified are Green Guard Certified and oriented towards achieving a product that is affordable, environmentally friendly, easy to maintain, and durable. Additional elements like the Wedge Cushion, Wood Layover Tables and the Power Module add to the versatility of Tangent, letting it serve as a dining station, a workstation or just a place to relax.  

Contemporary and quiet, Tangent gives designers a tool to customize spaces, large or small. Straight lines and simple design give Tangent an equally flexible aesthetic. It can easily become the signature element within a design or Tangent can remain a quiet complement within a complex design.