London studio Pearson Lloyd has teamed up with furniture brand Profim to create a workplace seating system that is both reconfigurable and recyclable.

Revo is a system of upholstered sofas, benches and stools that attach to matching partition screens.

As the first collaboration between Pearson Lloyd and Flokk-owned Profim, the collection launched in 2022 and is now shortlisted for Dezeen Awards 2023 in the workplace design category.

The modular system was designed with the circular economy in mind.

Its softly contoured seats can be combined in 96 different ways, to suit a wide variety of workspace tasks, and can be easily reconfigured as needs change.

While most upholstered furniture is notoriously hard to recycle, the Revo range was produced using primarily recycled materials and is 74 per cent recyclable, according to the designers.

It has a lightweight frame made from recycled expanded polypropylene (REPP), rather than the typical plywood, while its upholstery is held in place with a tethered drawstring instead of glue or staples.

"Revo represents a radical rethinking of the way upholstered contract furniture is made in response to the climate crisis," said Luke Pearson, co-founder of Pearson Lloyd.

"Replacing the plywood base structure with REPP maximises the potential reuse of the base materials," he explained.

"Plywood has no circularity. REPP, which is already in its second life, can be fully remoulded for a third, a fourth, ad infinitum."

Revo designs were characterised by a geometry that combines straight edges with curved corners, based on the concept of "squaring the circle".

This adds to their versatility, allowing different elements to be arranged in parallel or at right angles to suit both individual focus work and different group setups.

Customers can choose from two upholstery textiles. Cura, by German fabric company Gabriel, is a two-colour fabric made from 98 per cent recycled polyester, while the more textured Oceanic, by fabric brand Camera, is made from 100 per cent recycled polyester.

These textiles were selected for their durability, but could be easily changed in the future, according to Pearson Lloyd.

"In Revo's ease of reupholstering, we are looking ahead to a time when furniture is leased and not purchased, when the ability to refresh, refurbish and renew furniture will be increasingly important, especially in the contract market," said Pearson Lloyd co-founder, Tom Lloyd.

The colour palette, devised by Profim creative director Maja Ganszyniec, makes it possible to create striking colour contrasts or more nuanced tonal palettes.

The collection is completed by a series of tables in different sizes and heights.

Revo is one of several recent Pearson Lloyd projects that explore more eco-friendly approaches to furniture. Others include the Gen Z-focused CoLab classroom furniture and the easy-to-repair Cross chair.

Meanwhile, other products in Profim's range include the ergonomic AccisPro office chair.