Craftwand: working towards a more circular office

The idea of a circular office designed around the ecological principle of a circular economy to minimise environmental impact has been around for the last half-decade. As far back as 2017, the UK-based non-profit Business in the Community, launched its Circular Office Campaign to encourage workplace providers and users to adopt a more sustainable approach to designing, furnishing and managing their facilities. In addition, three-quarters of European businesses believe a more integral approach to sustainability is key to keeping their companies' ability to deliver long term value, according to a 2019 report by French consultancy Mazar.

Creating a workplace in which materials can be reused and reconfigured instead of being unceremoniously discarded in yet another resource-intensive revamp is firmly on the agenda. And as the events of the past two years clearly demonstrate, the need to respond to changing conditions means that flexibility in interior design is more important than ever. There is also a growing focus on using natural materials – both for their sustainable credentials and their positive impact on employee wellbeing.

Craftwand® is one product that captures this zeitgeist, combining the principles of flexibility and circular design with natural materials. The patented architectural system is made up of modular, stacking timber elements that can be used to create different workspace layouts. It provides a wide range of possibilities for designing fully customised, demountable furniture in a single cohesive system, which can form space dividers, screens, shelves, desk nooks, seating and many other configurations.

The system's modules are made of FSC®–certified timber and can be assembled with relative ease using dowels, bolts and screws. ‘There were two main ideas that were intertwined during the concept, prototyping and manufacturing phases: consideration for the raw material and clever design,’ says Johannes Wolf, the inventor of Craftwand®. The original Craftwand® comprises solid prisms of beech wood available in eight different sizes, creating a robust timber aesthetic that adds a touch of organic warmth and also enhances an interior's acoustic qualities. The wood can be oiled, stained, lacquered or even charred and a number of surface textures can be applied, including ripples and sawtooth patterns.

The company also provides extensive support to clients and their designers during the design, manufacturing and construction process. ‘We always try to keep three channels of communication open: with the client, the architecture or design team and the installation team,’ says Teodor Tudorică, the company's head of design emphasising the importance of understanding various needs and challenges that can arise during a project. Since 2016, Craftwand® has worked with global architecture studio Hassel on SKY Central London, providing space dividers and integrating storage solutions for the 45,000-sqm media headquarters accommodating more than 3,500 employees. ‘Ever since completion, we have been in contact whenever they want to expand, change their spatial conditions or have new ideas, such as adding a cafeteria,’ says Wolf.

‘Our communication philosophy has yielded a few significant developments of our system, such as customised colouring, staining and texture options and even a new class of modules,’ Tudorică explains. The new modules are Craftwand® 2.0 – a structural system, comprising cruciform birch plywood elements – and Cratfwand® 2.1, which combines the two to produce hollow blocks that can accommodate cables within them to create neat, uncluttered work environments while providing a more lightweight alternative to the original. All of these can be combined and further developed into almost endless permutations. Accessory modules, such as special pegs or hollowed-out blocks that can serve as bottle racks are available too, enhancing the system's versatility for business and hospitality spaces.

Of course, the true test of circular principles is disassembly and subsequent reuse. Craftwand® offers specialised consultancy to existing clients like SKY, looking to reconfigure their spaces. ‘The most common client inquiries revolve around reconfiguring existing partitions into new layouts,’ explains Tudorică. After evaluating the quantity and the state of the existing products, his team propose new arrangements, and if necessary, adds new and specialised modules and accessories. This combination of continuous client care and a highly environmentally sustainable product means Craftwand® is leading the charge towards a more holistic circular economy.

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