Many architectural scholars will recognize Steelcase’s Racine designs immediately — but they may be surprised by them too. “Our goal is to be responsive to the time, and to the needs of contemporary users,” says Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation president and CEO Stuart Graff, whose team collaborated with the manufacturer on the new collection of chairs, desks and worktables.

Each design revisits a historic precedent while also engaging Steelcase’s modern know-how. “This isn’t just a look back,” says the brand’s general manager of partnerships, Meghan Dean, noting that future FLW Foundation collaborations may abandon the archives entirely to present original (yet still Wright-inspired) works. “But the best place to start was back at the beginning of our shared history.”

1939

Wright envisioned the S.C. Johnson Administration building in Racine, Wisconsin, as a “cathedral for work,” says Graff. “It’s a place that elevates the spirit with natural forms. Long before biophilic workplace design, he introduced dendriform columns that look like trees or lily pads and take their structure from the stag-horn cholla cactus.”

In keeping with Wright’s all-encompassing approach to design, the legendary architect also worked with the Metal Office Furniture Company (now known as Steelcase) to produce custom furniture, including a desk that added to the dignity of its setting with a user-centric arrangement of shelves designed specifically for key tasks like typing and filing.

“Wright celebrated the aristocracy of the individual and felt that, even during a depression, we shouldn’t take our workforce for granted,” Graff says. “He was there to make work efficient and comfortable, but also to give it meaning and make life beautiful.”

2023

Wanting to appease both Wright purists and present-day customers, Steelcase has divided its Racine collection into two product families.

The Signature version of the Racine desk honours the red colour and wood surfaces of Wright’s original design to create a close facsimile, while a second, modern version can be ordered with shortened worktops, new finishes and other customization. (No side waste basket? No problem.)

That said, both offerings feature some subtle adjustments to Wright’s original design, adopting more inclusive proportions and swapping springs for magnets to ensure soft-close drawers. “We enjoyed discussing what was precious and where there was room to flex,” says Dean. “Ultimately, we felt we had some freedom with Wright’s vision to keep his designs relevant and usable.”