New components for New Work

Working environments need to become more agile and collaborative. Visitors to this year’s ORGATEC had the opportunity to experience how this can be achieved. Companies from all over the world presented innovations for the office of the future in Cologne’s exhibition halls. In addition to individual pieces of furniture, many holistic concepts and room systems were also showcased. Fittings specialist Hettich, for example, is setting the entire workplace in motion. Its “RoomSpin” system has modules that can be swivelled 180 degrees as and when needed, making choreographed rotation an interior design principle. Using curated sequences of movements, conventional office spaces can be transformed into flexible rooms with clear zoning and structures that are readily adaptable.

The “Cubas Flex” furniture system manufactured by Assmann is another versatile innovation that promises maximum flexibility for office interiors. The elements of this modular system can be customised without tools, transforming from seating units to meeting tables, comfortable tiered seating or coffee stations. When used as an alternative to a traditional conference table in agile meeting rooms or in the design of central areas and communication zones in open-plan offices or lounge areas, this modular furniture creates a framework for productive working or collaborative interaction.

Sustainability is a top priority in more and more office projects and tender processes. As a result, concepts based on renewable resources are gaining prominence in workplace furnishings. Take, for example, the desks Palmberg is manufacturing from circular-ready materials. These include “OrganicBoard Pure P2”, a decorative particleboard from Pfleiderer, which is made from a sustainable wood blend bonded with biogenic adhesive. Palmberg also uses Rehau’s edge banding product “Raukantex eco”, the base material for which is composed of 50 per cent post-industrial recycled content.

Circular product design and bio-based solutions are becoming increasingly common in new office chairs. The “CoMeet Recyclate” model from Klöber, for example, is made from 100 per cent post-consumer material. Discarded products are shredded and processed into fine granules to make the seat shell and backrest. The seat shell for the “Klean” conference chair from Köhl is made from a new polyester material called “Primaloft Bio”. Its fibres are converted into biomass without producing environmentally harmful substances. Swedish start-up PaperShell has taken an unusual approach in its development of a more sustainable version of the “Catifa 53” chair in collaboration with Italian manufacturer Arper. Instead of wood or plastic, the seat is made from 29 layers of paper and is designed to lock away carbon.

In order to establish a sustainable office furniture industry, every aspect must be taken into consideration. For example, the role of packaging is to protect products, but it’s also one of the central issues in discussions about sustainability and efficiency in the value chain. This prompted Linak to work with Stuttgart Media University to develop new shipping solutions for height-adjustable desk frames, which it presented at ORGATEC. A modular system with inlays made from moulded fibre, cereal grain husks or corrugated cardboard makes it possible to transport the products conveniently and with zero plastic to furniture manufacturers and end users.

Anyone who wants to get a sense of the future direction of office furnishings and the furniture industry as a whole will find plenty of inspiration at the upcoming interzum. Next year, the trade fair will be sending out a strong message of support for sustainable furniture production with its new central theme, “Rethinking Resources: Circular and Bio-based Solutions”. Every facet of the industry-relevant motto will be showcased and brought to life at the trade fair across a diverse programme of events and in the innovations presented by the exhibitors.