Small Trends In Office Design Is The Big News At NeoCon

We understand that real estate is always expensive and any ability to maximize office productivity while holding down costs is of course a good thing.   But it seems so-called offices are continuing to downsize the standard workplace even more than years past.  Some called this new trend "office pods and bee hives" while others quipped that they were more like work lockers. 

Think about airplane sized cubbies -->.

For those not in the “know”…. NeoCon is a very large to-the-trade event that showcases the best of workplace design.  Held each June in Chicago in the historic Merchandise Mart, it is attended by thousands of design professionals anxious to see what vendors have in store for the coming year.

Several trends were noted during the tour of showrooms. But if there was one trend that was significant at this year's event, it was seen in the design of small –and even smaller-cubicles,… ya know, those desk areas enclosed by vertical panels ... but even smaller than the typical 5’ x 5’ footprint.

Combine ergonomic seating, a flexible work surface, task lighting, a limited amount of storage and privacy screens and you are ready to do some serious computer time. They do offer a unique solution to the problems of finding a quiet place to get away from the distractions that come with working in collaborative, open concept offices.

Other office design trends spotted included taller desk and conference tables that get staff off traditional chairs and in a vertical position to help prevent worker bees from zoning out.  Standing desks are not new and can be traced back to the era of Thomas Jefferson but adjustable height conference tables are something new.  The thinking is that standing meetings tend to be shorter in length and therefore more productive. 

Casualness as a trend iis being embraced at work from a relaxed dress code to furniture design that evokes the comforts of home. This year, big-box store West Elm jumped into the business of providing home-like office furniture to augment their revenues. A growing category in office furniture is lounge furniture, meant to encourage informal meetings and an alternative to sitting or standing at a desk.  

---

Finally… small yet flexible executive suites that can double as mini-conference rooms were noted in the offerings of some manufacturers, taking note that many executives are very mobile and office space is at a premium.  

This is a continuing trend of designing work spaces that have several different uses and remains popular with many colleagues of ours.  And that is our wrap up of the adventures at the 2015 NeoCon.  

---