Vitra and LAYER team up to design ‘Ampi’, a sleek and convenient charging station

None of us can really recall a time when we did not need to charge devices. Even when we did not carry smartphones as fifth limbs, we were charging other compact or heavy-duty electronic appliances such as emergency lights or electric kettles. Now, we cannot imagine a lifestyle sans charging, from mobile phones to laptops to kindles and speakers—it almost makes one frantic and anxious when batteries on these devices get dangerously low, and you cannot find an unoccupied charging port to plug them in.

Meet Vitra ‘Ampi’, Swiss furniture brand Vitra’s first tech-powered product design, a sleek, stylish, and thoughtfully crafted charging station designed by London-based experience design agency LAYER, articulated with a furniture design approach to technology, and concealing the tangled cords and cables that accompany a typical multi-plugged charging hub.

Marking their first-ever collaboration, this compact desk accessory relays ‘power to the people by dramatically increasing power access for charging six devices concurrently. The LAYER x Vitra 'Ampi' charging unit comes as a subtle power solution for users to charge up their technology essentials, from mobiles to laptops and speakers, in tandem with keeping their workstations uncluttered.

Designed by award-winning British design entrepreneur Benjamin Hubert, ‘Ampi’ gets its name from ‘amps’, a unit that denotes the amount of electricity used by a device. In development for two years, the ingenious industrial design is convenient and space-conscious and adheres to the flexible needs of modern society’s maxed-up power usage, “serving as a wireless charger and offering the necessary power connections to transform any table into a workstation quickly and easily – whether at home or in the office,” says Vitra.

“This is our first collaboration with Vitra and we’re thrilled to have the opportunity to combine our expertise in tech with our understanding of the way people live and work. Our unique approach to furniture and technology design together with Vitra’s position as a market and thought leader in interior objects has resulted in a powerful office companion that packs enhanced evocative functionality into a discreet and refined package,” says Hubert, Founder of Layer Design.

Electrifying workflow with Ampi

Currently available in the UK, EU, and the US outlets and retailing for £185, the super-compact charging unit provides wireless charging on top, and a drawer that opens to offer USB-A and USB-C power ports, without compromising on its sleek aesthetic. Claiming to be the ‘first charging station of its type in the world,’ the discreet Vitra ‘Ampi’ “responds to the fluidity of the modern workplace, transforming your home or office desk into an electrified workstation that grants access to power for up to six devices without complicated, messy cabling,” shares Hubert.

According to Vitra, the modern and professional-looking charging station “has the appearance of a carefully designed, harmoniously proportioned object, whose function is not apparent at first glance.” When closed, Ampi is a simple, softly radiused rectangle with an inviting top surface with a raised edge that provides induction charging for smartphones. A fabric tab at the front of the station can be used to slightly open the concealed drawer to reveal a USB-C and two USB-A ports, which can be used to fast-charge devices such as headphones, tablets, and cameras. When the drawer is fully open, two mains ports that can be used to power a monitor or charge a laptop are revealed in the contemporary design.

Ampi’s main body is articulated in recyclable plastic with a softly tactile texture, while the pull tab on its magnetic drawer is crafted from Kvadrat textile, a clear nod to Vitra’s iconic furniture heritage.

According to the product designers, Vitra Ampi is “thoughtfully designed to challenge conventional notions of tech charging products. The intentionally discreet form allows it to be used in volume across large office spaces to minimise cables and remove visual clutter, or in the home office where space is at a premium,” they share. The textile cable at the rear meets the unit’s plastic body with a fluid, rubberised cable flex, creating harmony between the soft and hard elements, while the non-slip base keeps the charging station firmly in place on the desk. Currently available in two colours, Basic Dark and Soft Grey, the creators relay plans to release the accessory design in a collection of five new colours in the coming months.