Poll: What’s important for your office

Haworth Collection: Quickship

You know what I LOVE about Italian lighting, furniture, design, etc….EVERYTHING

You know what I HATE about Italian lighting, furniture, design, etc….WAITING

I hate long lead times.  And for those of you that want to blather on about putting something up in-lieu, or future-proofing for when that gets there, zip it.  It never happens, or isn’t coordinated well, or it costs an arm and a leg to get the installer back, or ‘what we have right now is working’, and on and on.

I am always indebted to companies that have quick ship programs.  They understand that there are design sectors that have tight deadlines, and are working with us to pull off great design.

Introducing: The Haworth Collection Quickship Program.  13 pieces in limited finishes, that have a 14 day lead-time from Holland, MI (USA).  There are also 70 other pieces available from Poltrona Frau, Cappelini, and Cassina on a 10 week lead-time available through your Haworth dealer or haworthcollection.com.  Now here are the beauties in all their shining glory.

Creativity: John Cleese

For all the other Designers out there, Interiors or otherwise, a small excerpt from a John Cleese seminar on creativity, observation, and not knowing what you’re doing.

Collaborative Furniture: The Unilever Office

Reblogged from Contemporist.com

Systems Furniture Dictionary

BF, BBF, FF, Pelican, Pencil??

As with any industry, systems furniture has its own vernacular, its own language.  When I first started, I had no idea what a Box Box File was.  And trying to explain this alien language to a client on a furniture showroom tour is insane. So, here’s a brief synopsis of the Systems Furniture Dictionary, not in alphabetical order, and to be added to sporadically (super useful, right?):

Haworth X-series Mobile Ped - Pencil Box File w Cushion Top

BBF – Box Box File.  This describes the types of drawers in a storage system, with the top 2 drawers being a 5″-6″ ‘box’, and the lower drawer being sized to hold a ‘file folder’ height.

BF – Box File. See above. Only (1) ‘box’ type drawer.

Pencil – drawer sized for ‘pencils’.  Typically only 1-3″ deep, and is in combination with box and file drawers.

Pedestal – AKA: a Ped.  A freestanding storage piece that contains the BBF, BF, etc drawers.  Can also be on casters, which is then a ‘mobile ped’.  Also can have a cushion top, to double as seating.  See above image.

Pelican Drawer – A drawer that is typically mounted to the underside of the work surface.  It has a deep section at the back of the drawer for larger items (purses, files, etc), with the front of the drawer being only 4-5″ deep to not impinge on knee space.

Haworth 'Compose' Panels

Panel – these are are vertical panels which provide structure to your systems, separate workstations, and contain runs of power to each workstation.  These can vary in height, width, and material.  Typically, they are 42″-60″ tall (and hopefully getting shorter everyday).  Glass can be specified for the top portions of the panels, to allow light through, without compromising acoustics.  Panels are ‘skinned’ with ‘fascia’ or ’tiles’ that can be changed out at any time,  completely changing the look of the panel.  This skin can be glass, fabric, whiteboard, accessories rails, plastic, metal, laminate, or a combination of any.  The Haworth ‘Compose’ panels below show a framed glass upper panel, with laminate exterior, fabric interior.  As seen, these materials are stacked on top of each other, to form the panel – this is a typical construction.  Please also ooh and aah over the sliding door – a component that can usually sell managers looking to stay in their offices to make the move to workstations.

Open Base vs Closed Base – Base = the lowest 4″ of panel.  The Compose panels above are a monolithic panel that does not have a ‘base’ per se. Panels are trending towards an open base, as it visually opens up the workstation, allows better air flow, and has a cleaner look.  This means that power run along the base moves up into the panel itself.

Blade Panel – A thin glazing panel that clips onto the top of an existing panel.  It doesn’t require the frame structure of the panel, so tends to be less expensive, and is a great option to add if you feel that acoustics is an issue.  Do look at the attachment structure, as some cheaper versions can become wobbly over time.

Off-Module – Panels are designed to have components hang off of them at specific intervals.  Any piece that does not fit that interval is said to be ‘off-module’ and usually requires hardware that is slightly more expensive.  Sometimes going off-module is a better choice, mostly, I try to stay on for the cost savings, and I like the aesthetics of everything lining up perfectly.

Workstation – the combination of furniture that makes up (1) person’s work area

Haworth Reside Desking

Worksurface – A desktop.  And while some see this as straightforward, the shape of the desk can affect how you work, the addition of a return can affect how you file, and the leg and edge style can affect the look of the entire design.

Adjustable Height Worksurface – A crank or hydraulic lift system that allows the worksurface to be set to a low or standing height (or anywhere in between). A great solution for those with bad backs, those who need a higher table for standing meetings, but also a desk to sit at, or clients that want flexibility in their surfaces (ie: classroom seating, counters and desks, auditorium high seating, etc).

Overhead Bin – Overhead storage for files, paper, etc.  As the office landscape is trending towards a lower landscape, and ‘right to light’, these bins are going the way of the dodo.  Some firms believe they add to acoustic privacy, others create this privacy with other elements – see storage tower below.

Haworth X-Series Storage Tower

Storage Tower – Vertical storage furniture, that can hold drawers (BBF, BF, etc), hanging coat storage, paper pigeon holes, etc.  See above.

Haworth 'Patterns' Casegoods

Casegoods – Freestanding furniture systems used in private offices. Typically of a higher finish quality than workstations.

Haworth 'Patterns' File Island

File Island – Filing storage, banked into a group.  Typically at 3High files, so that you can meet and lay out files on top of the island.  4High is used where you are trying to architecturally divide space.

Lateral vs Vertical Files – Lateral files are longer horizontally, vertical files are deeper. Vertical files also tend to hold more storage, but can be harder to work around, as offices are becoming narrower.

Haworth 'Reside' Storage Spine

Storage Spine – In a panel system, a panel separates the workstations.  In a storage spine, storage pieces are used as structure, to create privacy, and to run power through.  It tends to have a more residential feel as well.

Haworth 'Reside' Desking system w Privacy Screens

Privacy Screen – A little sister version of a panel, that clips onto a surface, to provide privacy between 2 areas.  The red screens shown above provide visual privacy above the desk, privacy below the desk (great idea for women’s offices), and another separates the storage piece into 2 zones of storage for piling.  AND, if 2 people need to collaborate, they are easy to take away.  Or, if 2 people need their own space, they are easy to clip on.

For those of you that would like the ‘nuts to know’ information, here are more resources:

Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment – Furniture Systems

More Concept…

Filling the Void

There is a void.  A definite need.  Why is it that the web is filled with design blogs devoted to residential design, and the commercial are so few and far between?  Homeowners and res/ designers alike can trade secrets, and share comments on their world. They have a dialogue that is juicy- full of trials and tribulations, renovations and how-to’s.  Why do we commercial designers get left out?   …oh right!  Because we don’t like to share!

This is about filling that void – bridging the gap between people and commercial design; between users and designers, manufacturers and decision makers.