Open-minded: FLEISCHER

If the office was not a limited space but rather a spacious, landscaped garden, then the desk would probably correspond most closely to a park bench. Defined in its orientation, it determines the direction of the seated person's gaze. Benches are rarely grouped together opposite or next to each other. For the flâneur seeks isolation, inspiration and variety – or the occasional chance encounter along winding paths.

For a long time, things were different in the office. Arranged row after row, the open-plan space with its fixed seating was considered the desired reflection of the hierarchy-free collective – and thus more like a plantation than a stimulating landscape.

Currently, this is changing dramatically. Task-based workspaces are becoming established. In many cases, offices remain open spaces, but are becoming more versatile in design, and accompanied by versatile structuring solutions such as the Open Wall room partitioning system from Fleischer Büromöbelwerk.

In order to optimally meet individual needs, rooms are subdivided into usage zones: Workplaces, central zones or meeting areas, for example. The frame elements from the Bochum-based office furniture manufacturer can be set up either in a straight line or in a gentle curve.

The modules are fitted with various interchangeable inlays: acoustically effective fleece, 3D-milled wood, whiteboards and transparent panels are available. Accessories include shelves, mounting options for monitors and power sources, and thanks to its two-rail system, the inlays can be moved at any time, changed in sequence or removed entirely for more openness.

Open Wall was developed and designed by the Berlin design studio Culture Form. ‘The initial idea for the structural design of Open Wall was developed taking into account the material NeoTex and its special properties and processing possibilities,’ explain the designers. ‘In particular, the possibility of producing flexible NeoTex panels by slitting the material led to the idea of movable inlays in an open/closed profile frame.’

The advantage of the system's variability is that you never have to commit absolutely. If general conditions change – the ongoing pandemic is the best example – workplaces can be redesigned to meet changing office space requirements with relatively little effort.

The range of possible applications for Open Wall is wide: with the help of the room-within-a-room system, both individual and shared areas, presentation rooms, as well as copier corners or reception areas, can be designed. The lounge, which has become an integral part of contemporary offices, is regarded as an informal meeting place – comparable perhaps to the edge of a lake in the park mentioned at the outset. The open and closed wall surfaces correspond to the varied garden architecture and the corridors to the complex network of paths that meanders through the gardens.

Fleischer's sustainability strategy is also in keeping with nature: all materials for Open Wall are manufactured and processed in Germany. Criteria for the choice of materials are their long service life potential and recyclability. And because most of the components of the Open Wall system are bolted together, they can be completely dismantled at the end of their service life and disposed of responsibly.

Fleischer also offers a practical box to suit flexible working in the Multispace. The Neo Box can be used to store documents, notebooks and writing utensils. This handy storage box is made of NeoTex fleece and HPL-covered multiplex. It has a small lockable drawer for personal items and can be easily carried to any location by means of a handle and shoulder strap.

If desired, the box can be fixed to the desk underneath the tabletop, where a rail system is installed for easy hanging. Above the top, it can also serve as a raised laptop stand, increasing comfort during video conferences, for example.

Desk sharing and agile working offer and require a high degree of manoeuvrability, both from companies and their employees as well as from the office space itself. In the end, however, this flexibility pays off, if only – and here we are back in the park again – because the best ideas usually arise in a more organic way, rather than on-demand. So, try to think of the office as a green space – perfect for fostering spontaneity, interaction as well as concentration.

© Architonic