A new vision of work: Highlights from Orgatec

What sort of environment will the work culture of the future need? This was the question posed to exhibitors and the central theme of this year’s Orgatec fair, Cologne’s biennial international trade show for workplace furniture. Unsurprisingly, the focus centered around the idea of informal working, with brands adding to their collections with softer, less regimented products; and systems that allow employees to work more flexibly and collaborate more freely with colleagues and clients.

As a prominent exhibitor at the fair, Vitra presented a striking display focusing on the increasing convergence of the office realm and public spaces. The installation emphasised the importance of agility in today’s working world and showcased a range of new and updated products, including Soft Work, a new modular seating system in which table workstations are integrated into the seating landscape.

High-back sofas, booths, and modular systems were seen throughout the fair, including Plenum, the result of a new collaboration between Fritz Hansen and Spanish artist-designer Jaime Hayon. The soft pastels and deep, earthy palettes seen at earlier shows this year were also evident, with the addition of bright pops of primary colours from some brands. Highly tactile materials such as natural wood, felt, heavy drapery and industrial style dividers were also popular. Several brands presented products with environmentally friendly credentials, such as De Vorm’s Nook Lounge Chair made from PET bottles, and Re-Wool, a new fabric from Kvadrat partly made by reusing scraps from the manufacture’s yarn spinners in the UK.

Read on to see some of our highlights from this year’s fair.