Rethinking design solutions to foster openness, collaboration and community in a post-pandemic world, we walked almost one-million square feet of exhibition space presenting over 400 products from established and emerging designers alike at this year’s NeoCon to identify the future of office design. From modular furniture, to multipurpose video wall displays, to secluded office pods, to acoustic wall solutions, and to sophisticated game tables, here are trends that are reshaping the workspace—on and offline.
Hushoffice’s hushWall
The Future is “Phygital”
A mobile dry erase board, an office acoustic partition or a multimedia wall where you can mount a TV, Hushoffice’s multifunctional hushWall is made for our hybrid times. Video calls? Check. Content sharing? Check. Acoustic felt panel? Check. Accommodating collaboration, privacy and on- and offline meeting needs, hushWall, designed according to the agile office philosophy, provides a new way of embracing the “phygital” future upon us.
Framery’s Framery One
Pod Life
Designing soundproof office phone booths, pods and private spaces that solve noise and privacy issues in open-layout offices for some of the world’s leading companies—think Microsoft, Puma and Tesla—Framery responds to office needs prompted by the pandemic with Framery One. This technology-packed tiny office designed to elevate work in-person and online ensures employees are productive, safe, comfortable and happier.
Spino Seating Sofa Modular from ScandinavianSpaces, Environment Image
Scandinavian Coziness Beyond Hygge
Taking an “annorlunda” approach—“different” in Swedish—to their showroom layout, Scandinavian Spaces is all about creativity, color and comfort. Case in point, the Spino sofa, a fully adaptable piece that consists of multiple components and allows for shifting configurations within the space. Ideal for solitary work, an impromptu collaboration, a social interaction or a cozy moment, Spino lives up to the challenge. Did we mention its vibrant color palette?
Turf Design’s Intersect
Acoustic Walls Doubling as Art Installations
Giving life to any office meeting room, Turf Design’s acoustical solutions resemble art installations. Inspired by origami forms, the series of Intersect folded wall tiles explores elaborate folding techniques. By layering, intertwining or connecting tiles of multiple textures and hues (pewter, aqua, raspberry and more) they achieve optimal sound absorption in any space. At the same time they bring to life whimsical formations.
DYD Furniture’s Futo
In the name of comfort and adaptability, Dymitr Malcew conceptualized and designed Futo for DYD Furniture as a multipurpose product to enhance the office experience. With eighteen reconfigurable pieces, the two-person soft seating area can accommodate more than four people and comes with accessible power and a USB plug-in. Warm, earthy tones complete this soothing, inviting vignette.
Cabot Wrenn by 11 Ravens, Air Hockey Table
Team-Building Play Dates
If your definition of an elevated work experience involves a little bit of fun, look no further than Cabot Wrenn’s collaboration with Los Angeles-hailing design firm, 11 Ravens that creates high-quality, precision made game tables—think billiards, table tennis, poker, mahjong. More than impeccably designed, their games are guaranteed to keep employees connected, shake up team dynamics and start conversations.
Greek-born Vasia Rigou is a seasoned journalist, editor and multimedia content producer largely on the subjects of visual art, culture, architecture and design. She currently serves as an Editor at Newcity, Chicago’s leading culture publication, as Writer and Copy Editor at the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) HQ, and regularly contributes to international architecture and design magazines OnOffice and ICON. She has experience creating content for brands and building conference speeches and influential TEDx talks. Simply put: she’s fascinated by finding out the great stories behind the people, places and objects that surround us, and by sharing those stories with the world. When she’s not writing about art or looking at art—wine in hand—she makes lists for pretty much everything, drinks immense amounts of coffee and takes cross-country road trips every chance she gets.
Contact: [email protected] Website: www.rigouvasia.com
