A good article in Contract Magazine offers a nice summary of the current thinking in office furniture design. Some highlights:
- 4 Generations in the same workplace - Creates major challenges of "blending" workstyles together (Boomers desire private offices, Gen-Y'ers have no use for them)...
- Personalized Furniture - We can currently "personalize" our ergonomic chairs, workers desire that same degree of personalization across the board.
- Bye-Bye Walls - Space and furniture needs to be designed to promote collaboration and team-work, and allow for heads-down work. This means lower walls and panels, but smarter designed workstations.
- Technology Integration - Current furniture allows for basic technology (power-voice-data), near future furniture is being designed to accommodate a much broader range of technology (I-Pods, various smart phone compatibility, etc...)
- Sustainability - LEED is today - beyond LEED is early tomorrow morning... with manufacturers and designers taking a deeper and broader look at issues such as life cycle assessment and non-obsolesence.
