We spoke with a member of mmcité's design team, Jitka Trčková. She has worked at the company since 2013. Several key collections have been created in her hands, and one of the latest is Flaneur, an expansive, non-anchored collection of furniture designed for public spaces. She told us how the collection was created and what it's like to work together as part of the design team.
Where did the idea to create an expanded, non-anchored collection of furniture for public spaces come from?
The tendency to design a new urban chair had been growing with us for several years. A few months ago, this step was accelerated by a project for which we wanted to offer a new, fresh and coherent collection. Its design therefore became a priority.
Flaneur urban furniture collection © mmcité 
Public space has been changing for a long time. It's freer, friendlier, safer - so we spend more of our free time in it. Does the Flaneur collection respond to these changes with its design?
It definitely does. Flaneur is a collection of urban non-anchored furniture that can be easily rearranged as needed. The chair weighs six kilograms, the stool four - so they are light and easy to move by users of cafes or parks, yet stable enough to resist wind and accidental toppling. The collection is designed not to succumb to momentary trends, which increases its durability.
What experience do you have with non-anchored furniture in parks and plazas?
We have been trying to change the look of public spaces for a long time. We believe that if people are surrounded by quality and aesthetic products - including urban furniture that evokes positive emotions - their tendency to destroy such things decreases. Such products can gradually change the public's attitude toward their surroundings and contribute to reducing vandalism.
What products does the collection contain?
The entire collection started with a steel stackable chair. Gradually, we added a stool and a hocker - all three variants are also available with a wooden seat. The chairs naturally include a table as well. We tested the ideal size for a long time, and in the end we quite rightly stayed with the round and oval versions - each has its own advantages.
The collection was designed mainly with the streets in mind. Can it also work well on the gardens of bars or cafes? What are the possible applications?
The collection was designed mainly for bustling city streets, which function both day and night, are dynamic and often change their character. For outdoor café gardens it is ideal thanks to its easy maintenance and stackability. Flaneur will also work well in parks or semi-private and private spaces. For example, the hocker can be perfectly combined with Cuby Study - it provides a higher seat ideal for comfortable study. So it will also work well at universities, company terraces, as a lunch break companion.
Flaneur urban furniture collection © mmcité 
What are the main advantages of the collection?
The main advantages are the aforementioned lightness, stability and stackability. These qualities are especially valuable in multifunctional environments, where the situation changes daily - such as bar gardens or park amphitheaters. Another advantage is the wide range of the collection - thanks to different types of seating, it meets the maximum number of requirements for meetings in public spaces.
The sturdy construction allows any color finish according to the RAL color chart. What colors do you think best match the collection?
When designing, I intuitively chose rather expressive pastel colors. Over time, I got used to this "playful" style. But when more orders started coming in in muted, earthy tones, I have to admit that they also fit the collection very well - especially when combined with wood.
The collection is complemented not only by steel structures and rods, but also by wooden elements. What types of wood can be chosen and when is it worth deciding on such a combination?
Each place has its own specific requirements and it is best to approach them individually. Sometimes the goal is for the furniture not to distract from the architectural dominants of the city, for example. Other times you need to emphasize the character of the place - the color of the metal or the material used. I envision a wooden version well where longer sitting is planned - typically on bar gardens. In this collection we use acacia robinia, jatoba and thermal wood.
Flaneur urban furniture collection © mmcité 
How long have you been on the mmcité design team and what collections have you worked on?
I have been working at mmcité since 2013, though continuously. Over the years I have gone through different phases of my personal and professional life, but I have always returned to mmcité. I have completed many redesigns of existing products and extensions to the series of baskets, shelters and benches. I'm probably most proud of the Gomez bicycle stand, which has a unique rubber profile and hidden anchoring with an aluminum bracket.
The mmcité design team consists of four designers, and you work under the leadership of David Karásek. What does your collaboration look like?
Our team is very diverse - each of us approaches design differently. One is more technical and precise, another likes to experiment, another works intuitively. This diversity helps us find new solutions and inspire each other. Sometimes a conversation with a colleague is enough to discover a completely new direction. We consult with David on every project. Sometimes he already has a clear vision at the beginning, other times we start completely freely - we do workshops, moodboards, brainstorms. The key is to understand the context together. Working with him is demanding, but very inspiring - he can name things clearly, but also leave space for his own invention. In the case of the Flaneur collection, everything went very smoothly - thanks in part to the clear brief and the fact that we knew where we were going.
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