Office furniture / Global
Pride of place
From portable radios to productivity-boosting furniture, we name our favourite office pieces.
Offices should be comfortable and inspiring, allowing for moments of both individual focus and group collaboration. As such, they need to be fitted out with furniture that facilitates this, from smart industrial shelving and ergonomic seating to chic planters and even exercise equipment. By doing so, companies can help everyone from ceos to interns stay on top of their game. Here, we survey the smartest pieces. —
bar trolley
‘WM Brown’ Bar Trolley
Another Country, UK
To celebrate his love of adventure, Matt Hranek, founder and editor of men’s magazine Wm Brown, created a bar trolley in partnership with Another Country – a UK furniture firm that draws inspiration from the Shaker movement, Scandinavian aesthetics and Japanese woodwork. Made from oak-veneered plywood, it’s ideal for serving a midweek apéritif.
anothercountry.com
work desk
MDL System
Unifor, Italy
Lightness of touch characterises the design of the mdl System, a furniture collection that features desks and workstations in various shapes and sizes. Its fastening system allows it to be positioned as required, making it useful for workspaces where seating layouts might shift from project to project. Cable-management accessories, shelves and dividing panels complement this desk, which perches on industrial aluminium legs.
unifor.it
planter
GrowWide
Squarely Copenhagen, Denmark
This ash planter is suitable for almost any location, from outdoor terraces to conference rooms. The self-watering tub will keep plants happy with minimal human input.
squarely-copenhagen.com
desk lamp
Aspide
Gubi, Denmark
Designed by Gianfranco Frattini in 1970, this luminaire is named after the Italian for a type of poisonous snake: asp. It can be twisted to create direct light for working and reading or turned towards the wall for a gentler glow.
gubi.com
waiting-room sofa
Kite by GamFratesi
Porro, Italy
This chic sofa by GamFratesi has a slender yet sturdy tubular construction that supports plump down cushions and elegantly shaped armrests. The soft contours and generous proportions make this a welcome addition to any waiting room. Complement it with GamFratesi’s Kite armchair, with its distinctive enveloping backrest.
porro.com
office radio
Techniradio 4 IR
Technisat, Germany
This compact radio receives FM, digital dab1 and internet stations. It’s also easy to operate, using the two knobs on the front and the neatly aligned buttons on the top.
technisat.com
rowing machine
Skillrow
Technogym, Italy
A great alternative for those who can’t get out onto open water on their lunch break, Technogym’s Skillrow machine helps to build up endurance with its Aquafeel technology, which mimics the feel of actual rowing.
technogym.com
room divider
Center Center
String X Form Us with Love, Sweden
Composed of metal boxes made from perforated sheets, this modular system comes with in-built storage and can be cleverly deployed to break up an office floor plan.
formuswithlove.se
task chair
Pallo
Kokuyo, Japan
Storied Japanese furniture firm Kokuyo’s Pallo chair has short armrests, allowing the seat to be pulled close to a desk, while its rounded form keeps its footprint small. It also adjusts its locking strength to match the weight of the sitter, meaning that it won’t budge should you put on some extra kilos after a few trips to the izakaya.
kokuyo-furniture.co.jp
