Vitra Wants to Make Going Back to the Office Post-Pandemic Better
The Swiss brand has unveiled a concept workspace at their Basel HQ.
If you’re dreading going back to the office once coronavirus restrictions ease, Swiss furniture brand Vitra may have a fix for that.
The company recently launched its new office space — dubbed “Club Office” — at its headquarters in Birsfelden, Switzerland, outside Basel. The collaborative environment is designed to showcase how a modern office can look to fix certain problems deemed common in pre-pandemic workspaces.
The office is triaged into public, semi-public and private work areas, and allows for staff to feel connected to the bigger whole of the team while remaining safely distanced. This new form is meant to correct the tightly-packed cubicles and common area long desks that offices were keen to adopt before the pandemic. Obviously, the opening in Switzerland also functions as a showroom and example for those located elsewhere in the world to consider new design plans. Now, offering separation and communal engagement is expected to be a feature of office design moving forward.
“Those who choose to go to the office today and in the future do so consciously — to meet colleagues and experience a sense of belonging and appreciation,” said Vitra’s CEO, Nora Fehlbaum.”If an office has no character and colleagues hide from one another, it’s better to spare the commute and stay at home.”
The design also ties in several of Vitra’s licensed designs and creators, including a modular, ergonomic sofa system by Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, as well as the alcove plus sofa created by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.
The areas are also separated by a series of flexible walls, which can be helpful in close quarters to isolate work habits and maintain safety guidelines as we reintroduce ourselves to working in person again.
Aside from this modern office, the brand has also been at the forefront of modern brand collabs, like this one with Supreme.
