Designing the Ultimate Workspace: Vitra Features Desks that can be Turned into Sofas

With emerging technologies driving a major rethink of office design, this year’s Clerkenwell Design Week showcased several alternative solutions for workplace interiors and furniture.

This annual event, taking over London’s Clerkenwell, is said to hold the highest number of architects and designers per square mile in Europe. As architecture studios increasingly focus on the contract market, furniture companies are also offering their take on contemporary workplace needs.

From the ultimate workplace trends to coworking and flexible furniture, here is an interesting design we spotted at Clerkenwell and haven’t been able to let go since: The Hack Workstation by Vitra.

Vitra holds a long history in the Clerkenwell design scene, and this year’s showroom had a colour and texture makeover with spaces arranged to reflect different zones in the workplace. We fell in love with the brand new Hack workstation featuring a utilitarian flat-pack office system with desks that can be turned into sofas!

German designer Konstantin Grcic created this raw-looking rangefor Vitra as an alternative to traditional office furniture. Hack is made from rectangular oriented strand board panels that slot into metal brackets. Not only does it allow the desk surface to be raised or lowered for users to work sitting or standing, but the panels can also be reconfigured to create sofas.

Hack was designed for tech companies and startups looking for flexible solutions that appeal their young workers. The table system anticipates the requirements of companies and employees. According to Vitra, this is a provocative solution that can be understood as a ‘hack’ of the office environment.

“To attract young university graduates, companies must offer an appealing, practical and creative work environment while also being able to respond to dynamic changes in their office structures,” Vitra said.
The Swiss manufacturer unveiled Hack to reflect the attitude of companies that similarly define themselves in terms of constant change.