Designer Insights: The Future of Offices
Vol.6 Finding the ‘Individual’ within the Office: The Role of Design Furniture
With the relocation of their office, NARUKUMA embarked on the project to see how the products they had co-developed with the leading office furniture company ITOKI works in day-to-day use. This line, named “common furniture”, has an industrial aesthetic. It allows for rooms to be made very open, but at the same time it can be used to define and divide separate areas.
［Project Space］
“ITOKI wanted to redesign products that had long been used in places like offices, factories and research facilities and create furniture that enables more open and creative spaces. They approached us to ask if we could oversee the project”, Inokuma recalls. NARUKUMA had already held employee workshops and lectures for ITOKI and had a good relationship with the company.
［Chatting Booths］
At the heart of the system are partition panels offering various levels of transparency: full-grid panels, random-grid panels, punching metal panels, expanded metal panels, and so on. These are accompanied by shelves, shelf desks, carts and stools, but there is no extravagant design to be found. Everything is focused on practical functionality.
［Lounge Area］
As can be seen in these three CG renderings, while the parts are universal, they can be used to create a multitude of different spaces, such as functional and sharp-looking rooms, soft and gentle private booths, or relaxed lounges.