Interior designers are imagining a sustainable future for the products they create. The cubicle you erect or the next ergonomic chair you sit on may have come from a collection of commercial waste metal and fashioned into a product you can use for many years, thus contributing to the ongoing efforts for sustainable office design.
Read on to see how circular design, artificial intelligence, and sourcing local materials are inspiring this movement in product design and office furnishings.
Necessity Inspires Creativity
The life cycle of products is changing so when a product no longer serves its purpose, it can be transformed into something completely different. It’s a practice known as circular design. The trend will be featured during 3 Days of Design at NeoCon 2023 in Chicago June 12 – 14.
Issues bringing circular design to the forefront include environmental concerns and the desire to reuse materials instead of discarding everything. This extends the traditional life cycle of products. There’s also a push to source materials locally and reduce the cost of manufacturing products during a time of inflation.
Today’s modular office furniture fits current design trends because of the various benefits it offers.
3 Benefits of Modular Office Furnishings
MULTI-USE
Modular office furnishings are similar to the circular design and multi-use concept. Separate pieces of furniture can be brought together in a cohesive unit or used separately.
Think of a sectional sofa that can be used as one large unit or broken into sections. The same furnishings can fit appropriately in larger corporate environments, small business operations, and nonprofits.
Photo: DARRAN Honey 120° Workspace
Look at the variety of cubicles and workstations that can be used in a Fortune 500 corporation with teams of people or configured to be functional in an office of just a few people.
Photo: Scale 1:1 G Series Workstation and Desk Lounge
Something unique like the Scale 1:1 G-Series Nester Workstation and Desk Lounge adapts well to different office settings. The two-seater sofa is integrated with workstation capabilities.
Photo: Friant Novo Workstation
The Friant Novo Open Plan Workstation is another solution that adapts to various environments. It has whiteboard panels and acoustical panels made to diffuse sound.
DURABLE
Modular cubicles and workstations are easily configured by one person or just a few. They’re convenient to set up and add onto as needed, and they’re built to last for the sustainable office.
Photo: HON Accelerate Workstation
A leading brand that 2010 Office Furniture makes available is from the manufacturer HON which states on its website, “Thoughtful material choices, precise engineering, and lean manufacturing practices result in products that withstand extended use, multiple reconfigurations, and continue to look great over time.”
ACCOMMODATING
Photo: Friant System 2 Workstation
One of the greatest advantages of modular furniture is that pieces can fit the available space. The Friant System 2 workstation can have a variety of configurations. Several people from one department or who are working on a project can work and collaborate, or, if needed, one office manager can comfortably make use of it.
The products are made to support the sustainable office as much as possible. Friant Novo, under the heading Embracing a Green Sensibility, says it has “found a way to use 40% more fabric from each roll, resulting in less landfill waste.”
Cubicles have improved over the years, but other more dramatic changes are coming to offices.
Artificial Intelligence
As stated in Business New Daily, artificial technology is “expected to take digital technology out of the two-dimensional screen and bring it into the three-dimensional physical environment surrounding an individual.”
AI solutions are adding a futuristic twist to dictation and that’s another development coming to NeoCon 2023 as described in Dezeen magazine:
“While using AI in the creation of products or buildings is nothing new, last year saw an explosion in software such as the popular Midjourney, which converts text or audio information into computer-generated images.”
Imagine a meeting between a marketing team and graphic designers where someone describes a logo or image for marketing material and the group sees the result on screen.
How about sensors on ergonomic chairs to help employees keep their posture and avoid stress on the joints and lower back?
Sound far-fetched?
A new AI product, Tempo Move, delivers trainer-guided home workouts using smartphones or TVs and lets users check their form. Sensor technology is easy to implement for a variety of uses.
Photo: OFS Obeya Architectural Wall
Developments like this, along with the ongoing use of video conferencing, mean audio and visual spaces will take on greater importance. Consider the use of architectural walls to easily create these types of interactive centers.
No matter how technology changes, the goal of improving office settings and furnishings remains the same: caring for employees and helping them do their best.
Expertise for the Sustainable Office
Stay on top of office design trends to plan your spaces and use the furnishings that meet your needs the best. The team at 2010 Office Furniture has over 50 years of combined experience assisting clients who are among Southern California’s most recognizable brands.
Contact them with your project needs and questions.
Read Also: Illuminate Your Office Space Intelligently
Main Photo: OFS Modelo Chair
Resources & Special Thanks to Respective Product Manufacturers: DARRAN, Friant, HON, OFS & Scale 1:1