Vitra Introduces “Soft Work” at 93rd Annual AAAE Conference & Exhibition

Vitra is proud to be among the attendees and exhibitors of the American Association of Airport Executive’s (AAAE) 93rd Annual Conference & Exhibition at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Following a year without in-person collaboration, this opportunity to bring an industry together again is one Vitra is pleased to participate.

“AAAE’s annual conference and exhibition is the ideal venue to reconnect with aviation colleagues and partners, experience first-hand how Vitra seating solutions can transform the airport experience and a positive sign for our dynamic and integral industry,” says Susan Goodspeed, Vitra’s VP, Airports Division. “The networking and experience-sharing that happens throughout the convention hall and conference sessions is always so energizing.”

After a challenging year and as travelers return to airports, the need for modular, flexible and customer centric seating options is critical. That’s why Vitra is debuting its Soft Work line of seating solutions at AAAE in Booth 303, the newest addition to its dynamic and ergonomic seating portfolio. Soft Work is designed in collaboration with London-based studio, Barber & Osgerby.

Thanks to communication technology, public spaces, like airports, often double as workspaces. As a result of the global pandemic and with more people working remotely, new behavioral patterns have developed which are gradually finding their way into public spaces. For example, the sofa is not just a place to relax any longer, but also a place to work.

Today’s airport travelers demand spaces that rise to meet all their diverse travel needs. Whether it’s a business trip or personal travel, they will appreciate swivel table surfaces, power outlets and charging stations. The configuration of the seating system allows for responsive gate and lounge designs, ideal for today’s ever-changing airport environment. Soft Work can be easily assembled into multiple arrangements, enabling architects to structure the internal spaces of an airport, create specific focal points or define flexible public areas.

All these options are possible due to the sophisticated construction of Soft Work and its technical details: the arm-mounted desks are movable and enable diverse seating and working positions; the power sockets are located between the seat cushions and can simply be pivoted upwards for ease of use; partition screens can be used to divide zones and create quiet sheltered spaces. All of the functional elements are seamlessly integrated into the overall aesthetic.

Straight and curved elements in single or double versions, platforms, tables, panels, arm-mounted trays, power and data connections, along with a choice of covers in a wide range of colors, offer countless possibilities for customized configurations of Soft Work that suit airports perfectly.