Offices furnished with rows of desks and swivel chairs are now a thing of the past, according to designers and brands exhibiting at this year's Orgatec furniture fair. Here are 10 new designs for today's more flexible workspaces.
The theme for Orgatec 2018, which runs from 23 to 27 October in Cologne, is "visionary concepts for a new work culture".
For some designers, the development of mobile technology means that people no longer need to be sat at a conventional desk ? sofas with integrated power points and surfaces can do the same job.
"The desk is dead"
"The workstation is going the same way as the dining room ? it's disappearing as an archetype. The desk has had its day," said Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, who have teamed up with Swiss brand Vitra to launch a modular seating system that doubles as a workstation. "With mobile technology you need a place to sit occasionally, or a comfortable place to hang out," they said.
Swedish company Blå Station echoes the sentiment, with the launch of its customisable seating system by designers Thomas Bernstrand and Stefan Borselius.
"The desk is dead," said the brand. "Work doesn't have to tie you to an office desk. Meetings don't need conference rooms."
"Design is built on behaviour"
This change is paving the way for open-plan offices to be furnished with more flexible elements, from stackable chairs and furniture on castors, to pop-up structures that ...