Crescendo C2 maximus from stilvoll

When not jetting off around the world, sharpening our sarcasm at international designer furniture trade fairs, the (smow)blog team undertake other, non(smow), contracts.

To help us relax and unwind.

Some of us design graffiti templates, some translate classic music manuscripts and others undertake copy-editing and proofreading jobs.

Varied as they are, all these tasks are related in that sometimes you want to sit, sometimes you want to stand and regardless of whether sitting or standing you want to know that your books and documents are always available and your work instruments are close at hand.

We therefore could not believe our eyes when we met Crescendo C2 maximus by German designer Björn Kersting.

The thing is dream.  And that’s not a specialist design term. That’s a fact.

The inbuilt, stowable bookrest, the hidden storage space, the double-sided usability, height adjustable to accommodate standing or sitting users.

Crescendo C2 maximus - bookrest in detail

We can’t think of a more practical desk for those who either still work with paper - and there are a few of us out there - or whose work requires long, concentrated sessions with occasional standing. The bookrest can, for example,  just as easily serve for placing a laptop or keyboard at an optimal working angle.

Crescendo C2 maximus is also great for writing a thesis at … we could spend all day thinking up examples, but we will stop now.

If the table has one weak point it is the, for us, somewhat cumbersome and long winded height adjustment process.  Designer Kersting claims it takes 20 minutes, we have no evidence otherwise; however, for us the process of tilting and removing/adding the blocks to lower/raise the table could be simplified.

It doesn’t detract tooooooo much from the quality of the design, but if stilvoll can develop a slightly more elegant height adjustment system the Crescendo C2  maximus will be even better than it already is.

And as it is Crescendo C2 maximus is well worth investigating for all who are looking for a serious work desk.

Exclusively for smow, designer Björn Kersting now introduces his Crescendo C2 maximus:

There may be no tables in the press room, but there are plenty to be found at ICFF…

Eiermann 1 by Egon Eiermann from Lampert….ahhhhh, if only, if only if only. Polished chrome AND a place to rest your feet at hip level. Hhhhmmmmmm, perfection at work

The Eiermann 1 table frame from Richard Lampert at the German Design Council stand

Oh my God,  a table with its own integrated book holder. Every proofreaders dream. And height adjustable so you can stand or sit to work … Crescendo C2 maximus from stilvoll where have you been since Saturday at 10…

Crescendo C2 maximus by stillvoll. So simple, yet so complex and so good

Particularly nasty - access to this Dr Na by Philippe Starckfor Kartell has been blocked for the press corp!!! First they ignored the Geneva convention, now the freedom of the press. Is nothing sacred in Obama’s America?

Dr Na by Philippe Starck for Kartell

Driven to the edge the (smow)blog team attempt to use a child’s desk from iglooplay.  Gorgeous Eamesesque styling, but far too small for the average north European adult.

The somewhat improbably named Mod Topper and Mod Rocker from iglooplay. Great for kids, rubbish for adults