HOME IN THE OFFICE
The latest workplace trends are designed for integrated, playful wellbeing. We explored Orgatec, NeoCon and Salone di Mobile to find ideal for the new home-office ecosystems.
In Milan, we were captivated by Michele De Lucchi’s ‘The Walk’ installation at Salone di Mobile’s Workplace3.0. With lessons about shedding convention and breeding innovation, it was a metaphor for movement, both physical and mental. Inspired by its nuanced approach, we asked Chris Morley, Herman Miller’s Head of Design for Middle East & Africa to name his three top trends for the contemporary workspace.
“Firstly, there will be an increase in collaborative spaces,” he says. “The way people work together is changing, and the office landscape needs to adapt with it. Secondly, privacy is a necessity. And thirdly, office receptions should be inviting and make anyone, whether they are a customer or a prospective employee, feel welcome.”
Each show revealed a new spin on office seating, showing innovative ways to combine style, extreme ergonomics and fun. At NeoCon, Herman Miller and the designers at Studio 7.5 did a complete redesign of their 10-year classic Mirra 2 office chair to support an even greater range of motion. Jean-Marie Massaud’s Conference Seating Collection by Coalesse® Design Studio brought luxury and utility with a residential sensibility. With its gentle rocking and swaying, Via Seating’s OYO chair promoted great posture with cradle like support and the opportunity to creatively sit in any position. Arper’s Catifa Sensit office task chair boasted an invisible integrated mechanism in the back of the chair, allowing it to seamlessly incline, relieving pressure on the lower back.
The Stand Up seat, designed by Thorsten Franck for Wilkhahn was a hit at Orgatec. People enjoyed turning these one-legged into three-legged objects, honing their balancing (and workout) skills. Debuting at Salone, Richard Hutten’s X-Chair for Moroso brought a smile. Designed to be seen from behind, two simple interlocking pieces of wood belie the high tech construction that gave comfort to every curve.
But none of these chairs would be complete without the ONGO Activity Sensor (with Apple Health interface) that attaches underneath a seat with Velcro tape and reveals the levels of movement, calories burned and activity per day, week, month or year.
The new office isn’t just ‘open,’ it’s an eco-system with layers of needs, zones and constantly changing configurations—that require privacy. Fully modular, Karim Rashid’s Hook collection for Newform Ufficio, also seen at Orgatec, allowed users to customize their environment while staying organized. The translucent screen provides privacy but allows for flow of light and air while cuts in the desktop help organize cables. Its arc lamp spans the entire desk creating ambient light.
Götessons new The HUTs, designed by Workspace Finland, Dong Uk Lees, was inspired by the Monopoly game houses. It functions as an individual workstation, small sit or stand meeting room, or relaxing area.
NeoCon introduced Patricia Urquiola’s second phase of the Openest Collection for Haworth. This second phase of last year’s award-winning collection focused on individual or small group work. Also at the show,
Steelcase introduced the Brody Work Lounge with patented LiveLumbar Technology and a microenvironment that integrates power, ergonomic comfort, personal storage and lighting— all with a privacy screen.
Havvuu’s eSpot Acoustic Room brought the ultimate discrete communication environment with its enclosed room-with-in-a room sensibility.
Balancing the needs for comfortable seating and privacy, modular seating was at its peak at each fair. At Salone Pedrali tapped Patrick Jouin to design their modular Social system. With legs positioned only on the end, the linear design stays elegant as it plays host to endless social aggregations. Their new Plural sofa, designed by Jorge Pensi, was no lightweight despite its fire-resistant polypropylene reinforced with fiberglass and frame in die-casted aluminum.
The Nova C Bench Series By Green Furniture Concept made its awardwinning Swedish seating solution is making its North American debut at NeoCon. The sleek modular, seamless bench system was designed specifically indoor public waiting areas. The Sylvi Modular Lounge Collection by Joey Ruiter for izzy+ merged residential appeal with contract quality. Doozie by RT London brought bold colours and soothing wave-inspired style.
The shows top desks and worktops were designed to handle every possible device as well as endless group and individual configurations and zones.
At NeoCon, Herman Miller’s Locale system accommodated the needs of individuals and groups while keeping a tight-knit architectural sensibility in open office plans. Vitra brought Workbays/ Workbays 90 designed by Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec. Their micro-architectural system presented an alternative to the common grid-like structure of offices. CP introduced the Cegano SmartTable, a table and intelligent device manager in one, without any cables with a double-top that allows workers to stand without having to raise and lower
the table. Designed by Studio Fattorini+Rizzini+Partners, the Arper debuted the Cross Table featured legs that could be placed at the center or flush to the top edge, central electrification ports with USB and Shucko outlets integrated in the top.
At Orgatec the axial assembled modular system Borges designed by Studio Kairos for Koleksiyon was a hit. Their wall system Oblivion created islands of tranquility, and also featured new fabrics by Kvadrat. Casala’s Lacrosse folding table received an IF Universal Design Award 2015 in the Expert Favourite 2015 3 category for its functionality and stability.
New esk accessories also shined. Arthur Holm Dynamic3Talk won the 2015 NeoCon Gold Award in recognition of product excellence in the category of Technology-Integrated Solutions. With the focus on privacy, phone booths were a crowd pleaser. Introduced at Orgatec, The Framery O Phone Booth was the winner of the Best of NeoCon 2015 Gold Award and iBooth by Peter Pepper Products maintains visibility to the surrounding space.
New furnishings and work zones saw manufacturers meeting the challenge to endlessly re-create spaces with flexible, portable divides and walls. Herman Miller’s Kivo brought a flexible canvas is a combination of a lightweight steel skeleton and simple magnetic tiles that can moved and reconfigured with ease.
At NeoCon, CP’s SonicWall Smart featured mobility and an integrated monitor—as well curved walls with a curved TV. Their new climate wall received the Product Design Award of the INDEX Exhibition in Dubai last year. It dehumidifies and cools the ambient air without any noticeable airflow.
Arper debuted Parentesit, an acoustic graphic wall panel designed by the Spanish studio Lievore Altherr Molina. It could be customised with a speaker or LED lights, as well as a wide range of geometric shapes and colors. Buzzispace’s Buzziplants, designed by Anthony Duffeleer, are the first room dividers with sound insulation, design and a surface you can stick pins onto.
At Salone, Germany’s USM introduced the modular "USM Privacy Panel" which structures workstation types in a space-efficient and flexible manner and zoned working areas.