The Office of the Future
by Startacus Admin
What will the office of the future look like?
We don’t mean ‘will there be robotic assistants and virtual co-workers’ but rather, on a more basic level, what will the structure and fabric of the office look like?
It’s a question that Dutch design firm RAAAF have had a stab at exploring, along with the help of artist Barbara Visser. The results of their collaboration have just gone on display at the new Looiersgracht 60 gallery in Amsterdam; they make interesting viewing for anyone who has dreamt of escaping the desk + chair humdrum uniformity of the modern office environment...so pretty much everyone then.
"Chairs and tables are redesigned over a million times. But what if there are no chairs any more and you would like to afford people standing working positions?" asked architects Ronald and Erik Rietveld, the two founders of RAAF.
In exploring the possibilities of rethinking this engrained work space convention, the team have come up with what they call a ‘working landscape’- a jumbled mix of blocks, and slanted surfaces which allow workers to break from the traditional sitting work position.
The structure of the ‘work landscape’ is decidedly disorderly, giving staff a wide array of working positions to choose from, including all variations of leaning, lying down and reclining. Think, sea lions chilling on a rocky coastal outcrop.
Why?
“If it’s not broke, why fix it?” will be the reaction of many to this display, but I think rather than being a realistic representation of what the team envisage the office of the future might look like, they are encouraging people to think about the ways in which our traditional notions of the office space can be reimagined for the better.
"We have developed a concept wherein the chair and desk are no longer unquestionable starting points; instead, the installation's various affordances solicit visitors to explore different standing positions in an experimental work landscape." They told Dezeen Magazine (a very nice site for anyone interested in design / architecture).
There have been many studies over the years reporting that sitting all day at a desk can be really bad for your health increasing the risk of developing many conditions including back problems, diabetes and even some cancers. For most of us, it’s a risk that we are willing to take; besides we have no other choice!
Potential health benefits and extended life expectancies aside, what we are most interested in is how such a working environment, or even a much diluted version of it, would impact on things like productivity, collaboration, co-worker relations, and general levels of contentment.
You might also like to take a look at some of these recent posts;
The office worker we love to hate
Playful furniture for office enviornment
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Startup funding is never easy, however here are a few of the options that can help you fund your startup without going broke in the process
Innovative startups are currently being sought by BMW Group Financial Services UK which has just launched the third instalment of its Innovation Lab
Starting a business can be a lot of hard work, so here's a few ways to avoid burnout and find a healthy work life balance.
The child health app on a mission to become the first nationwide digital redbook, just got a step closer to making their mission a reality...
The Cambridge-based startup that has created an empowering tool to drive the next wave of biological innovation
At one-day event Ideation NI Thon, students will get the chance to solve global and local sustainability, environmental, city and health problems.
NI startup ESTHER, a peer-2-peer giving platform allowing charitable donors to give money directly to people living in poverty, head to New York for a 4-day fact finding mission.
The lowdown on how an Australian startup generated global sales for their innovative product, "weighted blankets"...
At 82% the UK takes 4th place in the list of countries being most ready for automation and robotics, whilst 30% of UK population’s jobs are at risk of automation.
The innovative game, eQuoo that helps users build their emotional fitness and thereby help fight their mental illness
Published on: 21st January 2015
.png)
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- Ideation NI Thon at NI Science Festival sets out to solve global issues 17th Jan 2020 At one-day event Ideation NI Thon, students will get the chance to solve global and local sustainability, environmental, city and health problems.
- NI startup ESTHER takes flight to New York 16th Jan 2020 NI startup ESTHER, a peer-2-peer giving platform allowing charitable donors to give money directly to people living in poverty, head to New York for a 4-day fact finding mission.
- 2019 stats show that the gender pay gap continues 14th Jan 2020 Recent research by Starling bank shows that in 2019, women earned up to £12,319 less per year than their male colleagues of the same age and within the same industry
- Digital DNA Awards 2020 nominations now open 13th Jan 2020 The Digital DNA Awards, held in partnership with MCS Group, celebrate the best tech talent, from companies of all sizes, excelling in the world of Digital and Tech and not just in NI...
