Just outside of Hamburg, two brothers developed an interest in office space. They saw the office layout at the time and wanted to bring about a change by creating an office layout which shifts the focus to the individual,  system where the individual is the focus, and standing against uninspired monotony of rows of desks.

Flexibility is key in the open office - the furniture must be versatile enough to allow for privacy as well as discussion. The space must promote different work styles, be it working alone, in small groups or full team meetings. 

FOR THE INDIVIDUAL: Sturdy, clean workstations and comfortable office chairs are the first pieces to your open office layout. Spacious desks with grommet holes will help people keep their workspace clean. Rolling office chairs with lumbar support will make the many hours spent sitting at the office more bearable.

FOR COLLABORATION: To ensure privacy between deskmates, it is wise to get a partition. A movable partition provides people with privacy without entirely cutting off communication. Notes and printouts can be tacked onto both sides of the partition, making it perfect to display inspiration and reminders.

FLEXIBILITY: For quick meetings, having small ottomans around the office space can be great, as they can be easily pulled up around a desk, and easily put back. This prevents the fuss of moving chairs throughout the office.

FOR GROUPS: Longer meetings may require a large conference table. This provides everyone space to have their devices and papers out, and to share and pass around information. Notes and meeting minutes can easily be jotted down.

STORAGE: Every office has paperwork. Be it contracts, bills, mood board printouts or design inspiration, it has to be stored somewhere. Cabinets are a great way to keep not just paperwork, but also other types of clutter off desks and out of sight. 

PRIVACY/RECHARGE: With so many people working in one space, open offices aren’t always the quietest and sometimes you need a moment of silence to recharge or make a phone call. Felt enclosed workpods provide people working in these office spaces with a private corner, insulted from all the sound on the office floor.

You can find all these pieces in ISHO’s St. Pauli office collection. Inspired by the Quarter of St. Pauli in Hamburg, this collection is a nod to the birth of the open office concept. With beautiful pale green and pale pink accented furniture you can set up your office space to look good as well as work well.