Tag Archives: office design

These acoustic columns are designed to be decorative and sound-absorbing

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If your ears are particular to the way sound flows in a room, then you’re probably not always so comfortable in spaces where acoustics aren’t really well thought about by the architects and designers. For regular office spaces, this isn’t really a priority but having pleasant acoustics can add to the productivity of employees. It should be a balance between not being too soundproof and also not being too noisy. This new eco-friendly product is an option for those who are looking for a multi-purpose accessory they can add to the space that can provide acoustics and even other things.

Designer: Narbutas

The Parthos is an acoustic column that was designed to be part of the decoration of your space and at the same time providing you with better acoustics. It is able to muffle high, medium, and low frequency sounds to give you a more pleasant and relaxing aural environment. The columns are made of textile offcuts that have are good sound-absorbing materials and covered with PET felt that is able to enhance that. The patterns for the columns are also able to disperse some of the sound waves.

There are four variants of the Parthos that you can choose from. There’s just the plain acoustic column that just performs its main purpose. It’s available in three different heights that you can mix and max. There’s also the version that has space for potted plants in case you also wan it to be decorative. You can also add hooks for the other variant so you can use it for hanging coats, handbags, and other accessories you may need to hang. There’s also a version that has a power socket so you can charge your smart devices as needed.

The materials used are sustainable as they used upholstery cutoffs that are left over from other manufacturing projects instead of new foam. The PET felt is 50% off recycled plastic. The acoustic columns are also pretty easy to disassemble and recycle when it reaches its end of life. The available colors are muted but that should fit right in with most office environments.

The post These acoustic columns are designed to be decorative and sound-absorbing first appeared on Yanko Design.

This compact paper shredder comes with a built-in removable pouch to collect the shreds!

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Pocket is a compact paper shredder designed with a detachable pouch that collects all of your paper shreds before throwing them in the trash.

Paper shredders are the types of products that are reserved primarily for settings like clinics, pharmacies, banks, and educational settings. Whatever the reason we have for shredding paper, the bulkiness of most paper shredders turns the task into a journey that takes up more time than you’d expect.

Yifeeling, a design studio based in Zhengzhou, China, created their own Pocket paper shredder that’s small enough to tuck away alongside the books and binders that line your desk and comes with an integrated pocket that carries shreds before discarding them.

Shredding paper can be a headache when the machine you’re using doesn’t register differently textured paper. Like a vending machine incessantly spitting out your crumpled dollar bill, conventional paper shredders often have trouble swallowing crinkled and larger pieces of paper. Specifically designed to handle every kind of paper, Pocket can shred unfolded, folded, and crumpled paper scraps in one go.

Taking it one step further, Pocket can transform into a literal pocket at any moment. Whenever the user needs an exterior sack to catch all of the paper shreds moving through the machine, built-in slits near the outer edges of the Pocket shredder provide slots for random pieces of paper to latch onto and form a curved pouch to collect the shreds. Slim by design, Pocket is portable and compact for easy storage and quick shredding. No more are the days of dreading the long walk to the one paper shredder in the entire office, with Pocket, shredding paper can happen at your desk.

Designer: Yifeeling Studio

Pocket carries a nondescript overall look, with bright blue buttons for intuitive operation.

Pocket can handle any type of paper, from crinkled to folded up pieces, and even larger ones.

Along the bottom, Pocket features rows of teeth that grip pieces of paper to form pouches that collect shreds. 

Pocket boasts a slim build to fit anywhere on your work desk.

Pocket can swallow longer pieces of paper in one go.

These office desk accessories are all designed to be a mini factory of productivity!

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In an imaginary world, I would love if there was a factory of productivity so that we never had those Monday blues or the pressure to finish everything by Friday. Well, that dream is not coming true but perhaps what can boost productivity just as equally is this cute, minimal, tiny Factory Object set which includes everything you need for the perfect office day!

It’s a series of products inspired by the commonality between factories that constantly produce things and employees who do productive work at the desk (as I write, I realize I am very much that employee right now – very meta!). It consists of a humidifier, diffuser, pen holder, charging tray, USB, and a USB splitter.

The humidifier mimics the smoke-emitting factory chimneys. It has a 4-6-8-hour reservation function and a knob to control it. “It also provides more smoke with two cylinders and filters,” elaborated Park. Another set of objects inspired by the smoke pipes in factories are the wireless charger and pens. Two pens rest in a magnet holder attached to a tray that can be used to organize desk supplies. The tray also supports wireless charging! Moving on we have the powerplant-inspired diffuser which is a perfect mini replica of the real structure down to its shape. You can simply turn it off and turn it on with the front button, and enjoy aromatherapy (very much needed anytime you open your inbox) with capsule-type electronic diffusers.

Now to my personal favorite object – the USB trucks and the warehouse USB splitter! “The USB hub is inspired by the commonality of transporting something. It lights up when a USB is detected and supports four ports as well as SD cards,” explains Park. The USB drives are shaped like mini trucks and come with 16GB and 32GB storage capacity. The Factory Object desk set is playful yet sleek and makes being productive a whole lot easier – almost as if it was manufacturing it!

Designer: Jaehong Park

These 3D printed pods are sustainable personal offices that you can subscribe to just like Netflix!

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Post the pandemic, all of us have realized the importance of having a dedicated space where we can focus on work without having to explain on our zoom calls what the noise in the background is. Meet the Denizen Architype pod – a smart, functional, personal office that supports your remote work life and also could double up as a creative escape! This prefabricated office is designed with everything you need for the perfect work day and you can set it up anywhere in the world if you have subscribed to it – it’s like Netflix but for a physical office space.

Denizen pods want to help reduce central office costs while adapting to the changes like remote work and flexible lifestyle. The 100 sqft pod is a modern solution with a small footprint that can help retain global talent, maximize productivity and reduce environmental impact that big corporate offices have. “It is ideally suited for high-volume production as a consumer product – more like an automobile or smartphone than a conventional building. Leveraging the latest in 3D printing, robotic fabrication, and technology integration, Denizen can mass-produce high-quality office units that are not only more desirable spaces to work than conventional offices, but also cheaper and faster to build,” says the team in their press release.

The modern tiny office is constructed from premium materials like sustainably harvested timber, 3D printed biopolymers, and durable metal cladding. The tech has been integrated in the pod to make your work from home life as easy as possible. The company hopes to partner with cities to help deploy pods in green spaces to build communities and upgrade neighborhoods so that those who don’t have a backyard big enough for the pod can still subscribe and take advantage of it. This will mean less space for cars, office parks, and parking lots; more space for people, culture, and nature in the city. Remote tech and architecture is a critical tool for eliminating the carbon impact of business flights and traditional office buildings.

“There is a major unmet need in the shift to flexible, remote, and hybrid work, and it’s going to take conventional real estate decades to catch up. Even prior to the pandemic, offices were expensive, distracting, and inconvenient. A better solution was needed. We’ve created a space so inspiring that it will change the way you want to work and live. And by offering it as a subscription service, we make it natural for employers to give their teams a professional, connected, and safe work environment,” says Nick Foley, CEO of Denizen.

The desk seamlessly blends within the large glass arch that has a switchable privacy glass made of two layers with liquid crystals in between – this is expensive so we wonder if it will be a feature available only for the higher end subscription models. It has audiophile-grade speakers and 40 Amp electrical service for the structure. Another question for the team would be the source of electricity since they are pushing for sustainability and reduction of carbon footprint. The Denizen pod is still at a conceptual stage but is an interesting way to decentralize offices as we know it!

Designer: Denizen

This slim wall cabinet opens into a sleek, modern, functional workspace!

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Nils Holger Moorman presents ‘der vorstand’, a slender wall cabinet that transforms into a multifunctional think tank, creating the sense of space whenever users need it. The structure features a back wall on wheels that rolls out with a single pull to reveal a work desk with integrated bookshelves and a top light at the center. The project seeks to provide maximum atmosphere and minimum surface area at the same time.

Unlike any other sleek wall cabinet, ‘der vorstand’ by Moorman can easily unfold into a small, yet convenient workspace. The fold-out ceiling creates a sense of space, affords light, and connects the essentials: the back wall mounted on wheels with its magnetic exterior and the desk at the center. In keeping with the trusted Moorman ordering principle, everything has its designated place: from pens to the books and the binders, while the electronic devices can be charged with hidden cables. In addition, a curtain can be added to the side and the illumination of the ceiling and workspace can be adjusted to the users’ personal preferences.

‘der vorstand’ was initially designed as a submission to a design competition, and since then this winner model has ventured out on its own as an independent room-in-room solution. The first prototype was developed and built by Moorman’s in-house designers following the ideals of lead designer Nils Holger Moorman. Surfaces and materials are reduced to the basics: solid ash wood and light beige linoleum where hands and eyes rest or work in concentration; black surfaces and quiet restraint where nothing should distract the users. Precise details for storing, cabling, and locking the fold-out mechanism convey integrity and guarantee self-assured performance on the executive level.

‘we are in search of furniture creations based on a special idea. Sometimes absurd, sometimes brilliant, sometimes a detail, sometimes a revolution. Typically a minimalist formal language with a high level of experience – but always with a subtle twinkle in the eye’ shares the Moorman team. When the professional slips into the private sphere, then the convertible ‘der vorstand’ piece comes in to maintain order at home. It helps generate a private space according to occupants’ needs and wishes, or otherwise, it closes discreetly and retreats elegantly into the background.

Designer: Nils Holger Moorman

This home office desk comes with hidden storage systems to keep your desk setup organized!

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If we’re not careful, desks can quickly turn into pileup zones of scrap paper, binders, books, and stationery. Speaking from experience, without enough storage space, all of our work-related paraphernalia might end up in disorganized, scattered jumbles of mess. Designed specifically to declutter desktops and streamline the workday through integrated storage systems, the Omni Desk from Husarska Studio features hinged apparatuses and storage modules.

The designers behind Omni wanted to create a desk that could fit into any office space and provide enough storage options to keep the top of the desk free of mess. With rounded oak legs and additional wood accents, Omni is minimal and sophisticated by design, sporting an optic white desktop surface. The results of a social media survey given by Husarska Studio revealed that most desk users prefer desks with integrated storage that can open and close like a cabinet. Sure to weave lockable storage options into the desk, the makers behind Omni looked to hinged cabinets to store devices’ power supplies and wires, as well as users’ work-related material.

Traced along the desk’s topmost side, a hinged cabinet opens up to reveal stored-away cords and power strips for workdays that call for a laptop. Box modules also fill out Omni so users can still keep their work material hidden from view, but the module’s lids can lift, and inside, users can store smaller items like stationery. Placed on the right-hand side of Omni, the location of the pull-out drawer was specifically chosen to remain out of the way when users are working at their desks. A wooden stationery holder also helps organize pens, pencils, Post-it Notes, and other items that could remain at the ready for use during the workday.

Designer: Husarska Studio

Omni keeps a sophisticated and minimal design to fit into any office space.

Box modules punctuate Omni’s desktop to reveal hidden storage options.

A stationery holder can keep loose writing tools and smaller work-related paraphernalia.

The pull-out drawer is located just to the right of the user to stay out of the way.

Hinged cabinets can pop up to reveal more storage options and hide bulkier items like power strips and cord tangles.

These fabric acoustic panels absorbs sound and double as a room divider for a great open office space!

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Open office spaces might have replaced cubicles, but we still need some privacy. Products like wooden partitions and pipe-and-drape screens can do a good job of visually separating space, but sound travels and the issue of privacy remains. To provide a means for sound isolation and visual privacy without compromising the inclusive aspect of open office spaces, Milan-based Claudio Bellini design studio created FP7, a collection of acoustic panels that double as room dividers and noise absorbers.

Designed specifically for the open office space, FP7 functions as an acoustic panel to absorb soundwaves without entirely blocking out background noise and as a room divider to visually delineate areas of privacy throughout any given office. The panels that make up the collection come in various colors, all giving off either a bright and exuberant or a subtler, toned-down display which can be chosen depending on the office’s design scheme. Designed to form a set, each panel comes in varying sizes, properly resembling a sort of visual soundwave when positioned together. The panels, which are made from embedded cushioning that’s overlaid with soft fabric, can be organized however the office sees fit.

Privacy is non-negotiable in office settings, and in public spaces, a space for more intimate conversations should always be accessible. Ideal for busy locations like the lobby, group workstations, or even the library, the FP7 acoustic panels can be grouped wherever extra privacy is needed. Qualifying for 2021’s Final Jury at iF Design Awards, FP7 embraces today’s office culture’s openness while creating a way for workers to access private areas for conversing or brainstorming.

Designer: Claudio Bellini

Available in an array of different colors and patterns, FP7 is designed to form a set.

Areas with heavy foot traffic, like lobbies and recreation areas, can form private spaces for conversing through the use of FP7.

The simple, refined fabric and options for additional color schemes enhance FP7’s design versatility.

Acoustic panels can surround smaller conversations or larger group meeting spaces to absorb sound and define private areas.

This WFH setup is our dream workstation, including everything from virtual reality to detachable screens!

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Now that we’ve had a taste of what working from home feels like, we’re all noticing the ways our work setups can be improved. It might be that your desk is too short or that your wires desperately need some organizing. No matter what you do, your workspace should feel comfortable and accessible so that you can move through the workday as smoothly as possible. After one year of intermittently working from home, Lucas Couto dreamed up his ideal WFH setup and it’s safe to say, we all want in.

What appears as a simple computer desk setup turns out to be so much more. For starters, Couto’s workstation setup, “Future of Work,” features a retractable display screen that detaches into a foldable tablet/laptop. The simple OS desktop functions as the workstation base, where files can be created and stored. Then, when Couto needs a tablet or laptop for easy portability, the same files will be made available on the go.

In addition to the desktop’s detachable screen, Couto’s design features another tablet that can attach itself to the desktop for an extended display, offering quick file sharing and supplemental portability. Finally, Couto’s “Future of Work” setup comes equipped with VR compatibility, providing a headset that turns into a dashboard where all of the work station’s appliances are connected. The integration of VR allows for seamless file transferring between devices, like sharing CAD models between devices and other file formats.

Nowadays, it’s important for the technology we use to cater to our needs, from getting stuff done for work to using it at our leisure. When technology doesn’t flow the way we need it to, it can feel like our whole workday has been derailed. Couto’s “Future of Work” conceptual design realizes the ultimate cohesive work setup through multiple device connectivity for a smooth workflow, convenient portability for busier days, and integrative VR assistance for intuitive file transferring.

Designer: Lucas Couto

Following multiple ideations, Couto conceptualized the WFH setup of his dreams.

Following a year’s worth of intermittently working from home, Couto designed a WFH station that includes multiple device sharing platforms and seamless file transferring.

Hinging on portability and accessibility, Couto’s WFH system includes a tablet that transforms into a laptop.

Featuring retractable screens that turn into standalone tablets, Couto’s WFH setup is designed for convenience.

After working on the tablet, it can then be transferred to the desktop’s screen just by dragging your fingers.

By incorporating a supplemental tablet, the desktop’s display screen can nearly double in size.

By including a VR headset, Couto makes it easy to search through his dashboard and organize his work across multiple device platforms.

This modular desk system for offices creates plenty of different configurations by working just like scrabble!

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Like it or not, for many of us, the spaces where we work affect the quality of our work. Whether you’re working on a personal film project for hours on end or endlessly typing in order to meet a deadline, our physical space affects our mental space. This can get a little tricky when we’re working in office spaces simply because there’s more to work with: more space, more furniture, more people. Shift Studio, a design firm based in Monterrey, Mexico devoted to holistic problem-solving, recently debuted a large-scale answer to office design woes, with their modular desk system for workspace environments.

Desko is an adaptive and modular workspace solution for today’s ever-changing and multi-functional offices. Desko’s “desking” system represents a low-SKU-based design, which means it comprises few variant parts, prioritizing a multitude of office arrangements over different single desk variations. Opting for a low-SKU-based design also means that Desko takes up less space in storage and requires fewer parts for assembly and setup. In order to accommodate offices of varying sizes from the small, one-room startup office to larger corporate buildings, Desko’s “desking” system can easily be reduced or added upon depending on an office’s needs. With the ability to acclimate to any given office setup, the makers at Shift Studio say, “The Desko ‘desking’ system is based on the availability of 12 SKUs that enable the creation of 500+ workspace solutions that range from simple desks, to telemarketing solutions, [and from] ‘L’ and ‘H’ shapes to conference tables and virtually any shape.”

In order to attach one table to another table, a removable support metal beam securely fastens one desk with another and so on. Since all the tables are quadrilateral in shape, they latch onto one another much like how we move around in tile-based video games. Each desk also caters to office electronics thanks to the built-in desk hole grommets that allow room for cables and wires to plug into nearby sockets. While the desks generally look pretty uniform, Shift Studio included different surface options to indulge those who prefer warmer wooden desks over glacial steel. These surface options range from prism white, light grey, dark grey, natural oak, urban ash, and imperial walnut. Assembly and setup for Desko won’t involve any drills, hammers, or screwdrivers – all you’ll need are your own two hands, a few nuts and bolts, and some help from coworkers.

Designer: Shift Studio

From steelmaking to 3D printing, this magnetic modular lamp design can light up every corner

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Lighting can easily be overlooked, especially in office settings since work is often prioritized before interior design. The relationship between lighting and quality of work is complementary in that they influence each other. In the morning, we might prefer bright, full sunlight, but come evening time, we might like a dimmer, warmer light from a single lamp. Whatever the case might be, the designers behind Emett, a lighting system for collaborative workspaces, understand the importance of that relationship and took to the drawing boards.

With Emett, the core of the product can be understood through the design process. In order to provide optimal lighting for workspaces, the trio of creators found the design’s anchor in constructing the system around a typical office space. Emett’s adaptability when positioned in different workplaces is thanks to its simplicity. The aluminum base and head of the lamp are constructed using a 3D-printer and the main steel rod, or body, of the lamp structure is closely smelted in order to connect multiple heads and encase the wiring for operation. In order to give workers comfortable and effective lighting, Emett offers refreshing modularity with changeable parts and multi-functioning lamp systems. Each variation of the lamp’s structure allows for users to attach one or multiple lamp heads to the body. Being that this is a system of lamps, a main external driver can be connected to the office space’s electrical room where lighting maintenance for buildings generally takes place.

Additionally, incorporated into each lamp head is a dimming feature that adjusts a light’s intensity for changeable ambiance depending on what sort of work needs to get done. The pendant lamp hangs overhead work desks and group meetings to provide ample, warm lighting, nurturing bursts of creativity while supplying an air of coziness. Meanwhile, the desk and floor lighting fixtures dress up office spaces for general comfort and familiarity. Conveniently, each lamp head can turn 360 degrees to provide the perfect lighting mood to match your energy. Through steady solution-based creativity and clever regards to simplicity, Emett reimagines old and fussy office lamp systems under an everchanging, new light.

Designers: Antoine Gauthier, Maxime Bourgault, and Timothé Duchastel-Paré

Only a magnetic head and support rod make up the elemental concept of the lamp.

The lamp’s head is removable and can singularly attach itself to integrated circuits that protrude from the steel cylinder.

Three different sorts of lamp structures comprise the Emett lighting system: the desk lamp, floor lamp, and a pendant lamp.