Workmates
Authors
Citation
Hinge, v.72, 2000, pp. 22-26
Abstract
Knowing the next trend to hit the workplace means visiting the biennial Orgatec trade fair in Cologne, Germany - the six-day event closed on 24 October 2000. For those who care about corporate image and increased productivity, and of course design, there was lots to see with over 1,000 exhibitors from all the leading office furnishing companies. The only Hong Kong participant to brave the international auspices of Orgatec was Ultra with its new drive to compete with the giants in terms of design, quality and production capacity.
Some companies responded to the increasing demand for café facilities in the office, such as Lammhults from Germany who came up with the elegant Millibar table and bar stool, designed by Anya Sebton. Swiss furniture leaders Vitra focused on the 24-hour office in the globalised economy, citing that 20 years ago the office was described as nine-to-five, whereas now it’s 24/7. The Ypslion chair by Mario Bellini and his son Claudio, is designed with that in mind. Within this new understanding of time, increasing modifications to the traditional chair and table are, they say, good indicators of the current state of affairs.
New seating ideas that bring an element of lounge into the workplace, were launched by Thonet with the S 550 by design team Jehs & Laub, and Lammhults whose Multiplicity Easy Chair by Anya Sebton includes armrests, a foot stool and a side table. As far as Steelcase Germany is concerned, this is the age of the work revolution as its has never before existed. Referring to young net entrepreneurs, managing director Uli Gwinner stated that, "More and more offices will therefore be more reminiscent of barbecues on the beach than status symbols." However, this year's message from the Austrian-based company Svoboda is that there is nothing 'new' about new kinds of jobs and new technologies in the workplace. What is new, they say, is the way people now regard work and the people they meet there.
(1) Steelcase
(2) ICF
(3) Capital
(4) Ultra
(5) Vitra
(6) Lammhults
(7) Sedus
(8) International Office Concept
(9) Staverton
(10) Svoboda
(11) Moroso
(12) Haworth
(13) Fritz Hansen
(14) Konig + Neurath
(15) Walter Knoll
(16) Delphi Design
(17) Thonet
(18) Imax
(19) Wilkhahn
Description
Type
Article
Format
Date
2000
Language
en