Archive for the ‘New Cubicles’ Category

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NeoCon East: New Commercial Furniture Part 2

Monday, November 7th, 2011

We’re headed across the country again in this second post on the NeoCon East office furniture show. This time, let’s take a journey through Inscape System. This “Inscape” workstation and panel solution is designed to help employers “Escape” from wasted space and confusing office furniture specification. Like many popular cubicle brands, the goal of this product is to provide a wide range of pieces that can be mixed and matched with little effort. Ensuring interoperability of as many parts as possible provides more options while ensuring that future expansion is seamless and worry free.

Conserving Office Space Inch by Inch

The most well-publicized feature of Inscape’s product line is the ability to use multiple panel thicknesses to save space here and there without any integration issues. The extra inches you save can add up to quite a few square feet – perhaps even enough to comfortably accommodate a couple more workstations as your company grows.

For locations where you don’t need full 3.5” panels, you can install 2.75” panels instead. The universal connectors work with either one – you just flip the connector over from position A to position B to connect two thin panels rather than two thick ones. The frame and tile components are identical for both. It’s the clip components that determine the interior dimensions of the panel. Worksurfaces and other parts work equally well with both panel thicknesses because the frames are all the same.

Beneath the Surface

Although the lines and shapes of Inscape’s designs are simple, what you see is not all you get with this system. The post and beam structure that supports panels and movable walls also houses power distribution. This means it can be used for data cable and electrical wiring management just as easily in a private office as in a cubicle. Again, it’s all about one stop shopping with these guys.

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What IT Workers Want in a Workspace

Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

Last year, we looked at one programmer’s opinion about whether IT workers prefer offices or cubicles. But now there’s more extensive data available from a survey conducted by Computerworld. Author Cara Garretson reveals that not all tech employees have the same desires when it comes to their office setup, but there are some definite trends.

The most successful approach employers are using for IT staff appears to be a blended work environment. There are some collaborative areas for when team members need to have an ad hoc discussion or troubleshoot a problem. But workers also have the ability to retreat into cubicles or semi-private workspaces such as small conference rooms when they need more privacy. The flexibility of being able to choose where to work at any given time seems to be more important than the “office or cubicle” debate – as long as the noise level is addressed.

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Allsteel “Reaching” for Workstation Ergonomics

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011

This week, let’s dig into the Allsteel research library archives again for a look at workstation ergonomics. Allsteel compares its Reach™ workstation with a traditional workstation in this white paper. The paper starts with a review of the basics. For example, workstations should have plenty of leg space and drawers that are easy to open and close. Next, Allsteel moves on to talking specifically about how the location of various workstation components (such as storage bins) can impact the body.

Ergonomic ROM Explained

Encouraging movement within the human body’s normal range of motion (ROM) is considered healthy. But too much repetitive motion or movements that require reaching, twisting, or bending beyond the normal ROM can cause strain. To break it down further, range of motion can be sorted into different zones from 0-3. Zones 0 and 1 are easy, comfortable movements. 2 and 3 require more effort and may be more likely to put undue stress on the body over time. Back, neck, shoulder, and wrist movements should be kept within the comfortable “zones” of movement most of the time to minimize potential strain.

The Testing Phase

Allsteel decided to use a motion analysis system (involving infrared video cameras and reflective markers) and electromyography (to measure electrical impulses in the muscles) to evaluate workstation use. They set up a traditional workstation and a Reach workstation with the same set of basic office supplies. Participants’ movements were documented as they retrieved and replaced each object in the workstation as instructed. Then, the results were analyzed to determine the range of motion and the amount of effort for the various movements.

Results and Conclusion

With the Reach model, participants could retrieve each of the most commonly used objects without going outside zones 0 and 1. The researchers concluded that Reach’s smaller overall footprint and closer placement of storage components helped make this possible. They feel that smaller movements can translate to greater productivity by increasing the speed and efficiency of work.

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Do Cubicles and Wireless Systems Play Well Together?

Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Some of the best quality cubicles have wide raceways to accommodate data cables and electric wiring. But will the advent of wireless systems make systems furniture a thing of the past?

Allsteel cosponsored a tech report on how going wireless impacts facility design and furnishing decisions. They determined that cubicle raceways will remain useful for power distribution. After all, wireless devices still need to be plugged in pretty often. Plus, landline phones that are hardwired will still be used in many offices. Some designers see the potential for placing wireless antennae within the hollow structure of cubicle panels – meaning raceways would still be useful for antenna cabling.

The main change Allsteel sees over the short term is actually in the covering for cubicle panels. Some fabric covered panels apparently have the potential to interfere with wireless signals. This may foretell a change in the materials that are used for cubicle panels. Perhaps glass or laminate tiles will continue to make inroads to replace fabrics. Or, new materials may be engineered to minimize barriers to wireless communication. It’s possible that a balance will need to be struck between acoustic comfort and transparency to wireless signals.

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What Would You Create With This Office Furniture As A Canvas?

Monday, August 29th, 2011

Although Herman Miller’s Canvas collection evokes the idea of painting, it’s really about sculpting your office environment. This line of office furniture is designed with the idea that you should be able to use the same basic components to erect a huge variety of workstations. It’s like Lego for your office – but without all those annoying hard corners that hurt your foot when you step on them. In fact, one of the prettiest pieces in the Canvas setup is the Signature screen (shown at the left) that hugs the corners of a desk with its gentle curves. It softens the otherwise angular contours of the desking solutions.

Herman Miller boasts that 50 years of industry experience have gone into creating the Canvas pieces. They can be used to outfit a private office, a spine or beam based benching solution, or for individual workstations. The watchword for this collection is cohesive variety. Every workstation and office could have its own layout, but they will all still hold together nicely from an aesthetic standpoint. This flexibility in design includes plenty of tech-friendly pieces for accommodating data and electrical needs. The company intends to keep adding new pieces to this line, so the design architecture is very open ended.

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Calibrate Your Workspace with AIS

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

“Cal-li-brate good times, come on!” Can you sing it with Kool & The Gang? That should be the AIS theme song for this cubicle line. These freestanding office furniture pieces might very well be the ticket to bring good times to your office space once again. In fact, AIS advertises Calibrate as being able to “pump up the volume of any traditional office space”. While it’s not clear exactly what that means in terms of architecture and interior design, it sure does sound exciting!

In fact, this is a workplace furniture component solution with lots and lots of extras. The credenza with a sliding door rather than traditional pullout drawers is a very sleek touch. There are wardrobes, overheads, bookcases, and benches. You can even order legs and table bases to support a variety of worksurfaces. The system can be combined with DiVi or Matrix from AIS for a complete workstation or cubicle solution.

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Best of NeoCon Entries – Furniture Systems

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

NeoCon may be over for the year, but there are still so many great designs to explore! This week, let’s look at some novel furniture systems. These three companies each take a very different approach to defining workspaces:

Inscape

The Inscape system is designed to see your business through thick and thin. You can actually mix & match thick and thin panels on the same frame. This saves inches in areas where you don’t need a deep raceway to hold cables. It’s only 3/4 of an inch at each juncture, but if you add that up over a fleet of 50-100 workstations, that’s a big deal. The tiles, worksurfaces, connectors, brackets, and other components are also compatible with either panel thickness to make this a highly flexible solution.

Orbit

Well, these guys really throw a curve into the “square” cubicle concept. The Orbit design from Fluid Concepts can be specified in more than one radius or diameter to help you create snakes, bubble clusters, standalone pods, and many other fantastical arrangements. You don’t need a work triangle in this setup. Instead, an employee can simply pivot in the center of the curved workstation to reach any area of the worksurface. Every point is equally accessible and ergonomic.

Ad Hoc High

This version of the Ad Hoc worktable system combines the extra legroom of the classic design with a fixed 41” table height. It’s an interesting alternative to having an adjustable table. Add tall drafting style chairs with footrests, and employees can sit or stand to work at these stations. Since many employees will be sharing a single benching system, it makes more sense for individuals to adjust as needed throughout the day rather than to have the entire worksurface move up and down.

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Best of NeoCon Entries – Casegoods Competition

Saturday, June 4th, 2011

NeoCon is in full swing for 2011, and there are some interesting entries in the commercial interiors product category for the Best of NeoCon award (BON). Well known names like HON, Allsteel, and Teknion are prominently featured entrants for their innovative cubicle designs. But today let’s take a look at some of the contenders from slightly less well-known companies.

STAKS

First Office has its eyes set on stacking up the wins at NeoCon with its STAKS workstations. This office furniture is based around cabinets and other casegoods rather than cubicle walls – the panels are secondary to the design in these “open office” pieces. The company is kicking it old school by building with wood rather than the trendier metal and glass. This means their basic cubicles and VIP office suite furnishings all have the same warm feel. At the same time, using wood offers this manufacturer greater flexibility in customizing products. If they need to construct a workstation in non-standard dimensions, making adjustments to the “pattern” is simpler with wood working equipment than with the complex machinery used to bend and shape metal for steel desks and cubicle panel frames.

HUSH

This design from OSI is another example of wood making a big time comeback in the office furniture sphere. The company boasts that this collection is “setting a new standard”. Unfortunately, this piece looks like a blend between a 1960s dark wood paneled den and a booth at McDonalds. Seriously, it even has golden arches on the top. OK, I’ll hush now.

KEEL

This design goes along with the trend of naming designs in ALL CAPS. But at least it’s a refreshing break from the wood-heavy collections that are dominating the Best of NeoCon casegoods category this year. The freestanding metal bases are a gorgeous touch and keep this modular furniture from looking bland. The question of cable management is left a little open ended since there are no actual PCs or phones in this beautifully staged photo op.

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Allsteel Helps Businesses Move Forward with Stride Cubicles

Monday, May 30th, 2011

The Stride collection from Allsteel provides a highly flexible off-modular panel system to create workspaces that can be reconfigured again and again. By adding, removing, and rearranging components, the overall layout can be adapted as needed – and individual workstations can be customized to meet employee preferences. For example, you can specify a “sit to stand” tray that supports a monitor and keyboard and can be adjusted for seated or standing work

Stride is a spine based system that routes data and power through central panels to reduce the complexity of wiring and cabling. This setup leaves room for plenty of storage space in and around each workstation. The unique features of Stride storage include cabinets that “perch” just above the level of the worksurface. This ergonomic placement eliminates the need to reach up overhead to access a traditional bin. Project shelving with slide-out trays and cubbies are provided as an optional alternative to standard filing cabinets below worksurface height. Under-desk storage also includes a corner drawer to hold employee’s personal effects.

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Scale Back with Teknion Designway

Friday, May 20th, 2011

Teknion cubiclesWith a call center or other workplace where employees are constantly on the phone, there’s no getting around the fact that you need a panel based system. Nice, tall panel walls are also very important for workers who need a high level of concentration to do error-free work. However, there are other workplaces where a layout that is less dependent on cubicles is fine. If you don’t have a lot of space but still want a very open feel, the Teknion Designway workstations are one product to consider.

Open and Inviting

This is a spine based system that centralizes both storage and cable management. The open shelf styling of the spine above worksurface height allows plenty of air circulation and light penetration. The popular white laminate finish enhances the reflection of light and brightens the office. There is additional storage space below worksurface level to make the most of your square footage.

Mobile Storage

If some workers require extra room for storing files, you can always add a mobile pedestal. These units roll under the worktable surface to stay out of the way when not in use. They also feature a top surface outfitted with comfy seating textile so the pedestal can serve as a stool as the occasion arises.

Flexible Partitioning

Of course, even in this type of layout, there’s still a limit to how open you might want the space to be. You can add screens and panels from the Diet® series to separate desk spaces and provide privacy as needed. These Teknion components are fully compatible with Designway so you can fix them firmly to worksurfaces rather than relying solely on freestanding panels that may be prone to tipping or shifting.

Streamlined Design

The whole collection is designed with scaled down components. There aren’t that many different parts, so specifying your entire system isn’t complicated. This focus on cutting back to the basics is in line with Teknion’s push toward greater sustainability. The Designway line isn’t about having all the bells and whistles – it’s about having the best of what you need and nothing you don’t need.

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