Growing up as a diehard soccer player, "there is no 'I' in TEAM" popped out of coaches’ mouths almost as frequently as missed corner opportunities. As obnoxious as broken record life lessons were back then (and still are), I'd like to think they usually come with good intention. I'm sure even Spain – arguably the best soccer team on the planet this year – would say they couldn't have won the World Cup if not for the ease of motion that comes with this notion of teamwork.

Timed perfectly for the world sporting event of 2010, Arper launched Team, a new collection of chairs, to inject a bit of healthy competition into the market of commercial furniture.

Team. Designed by Lievore, Altherr, Molina for Arper.

Released at the Salone del Mobile this past April, the chairs were designed by Lievore, Altherr, Molina and earned their stripes by providing plenty of color and material choices to designers looking for the perfect look for their project. According to the Arper website, “Team is inspired as much by the precise shapes of technology as by the rational and innovative designs of modern architecture.” In an integrated system, either polypropelene or upholstered seating is placed inside Team’s extra light shell. This makes it the ideal choice for grand-scale projects such as conference halls, auditoriums, classrooms and office settings, to name a few.

Joyous after Spain’s victorious win no doubt, the Barcelona-based design trio of Lievore Altherr Molina first merged with Arper about ten years ago. Since then, the designers have been recognized for their furniture designs, interior design projects, products, and packaging, as well as teaching courses and seminars at numerous Spanish universities. Together with Arper – a company whose research into sustainable practices were rewarded when they obtained the Greenguard status for their entire chair production in 2008 – their collaborations continue to improve how we see commercial and office furniture.

In particular, Team was designed to score high with its daily usage in mind. There is a myriad of bases to pick from including: 4-leg (56,5 x 61,5 x 79 cm), 4-leg in solid oak wood (52,5 x 56 x 79 cm), cantilever (54 x 50 x 79 cm), sled (56 x 61,5 x 79 cm), and a 4- or 5-leg central structure with wheels (64 x 61,5 x 69 – 82 cm). Besides the base options, each chair can come with or without arms, and the seat itself, in a multitude of brilliant colors.

Although they may not be designed for soccer stadium locker rooms, Arper’s Team Collection demonstrates the successful combination of efficient, attractive furniture design… even when it’s between the last two World Cup champions!