Staples Business Advantage and Metropolis Magazine Reveal Winners of “Tomorrow’s Workplace” Design Competition
November 18 2016 - 7:30AM
Business Wire
If you think your workplace won’t change much in the next five
years, think again. Winners of the “Tomorrow’s Workplace” design
competition from Staples Business Advantage and Metropolis magazine
forecast that in 2021, the workplace may include inflatable pods
set up in urban parks, or young professionals working alongside
active retirees in a setting that resembles a small town more than
an office building.
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The winning submission from a team at
Ethelind Coblin Architect in New York City illustrates its Co-Gen
Flex concept meant to connect young entrepreneurial professionals
and active retirees. (Photo: Business Wire)
Architects, designers, and students from around the world
submitted entries predicting how the workplace will evolve in the
next five years. The contest is hosted by Staples Business
Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, Inc., and
Metropolis, the magazine of architecture and design at all
scales.
“The massive corporate office tower, usually a glass box with
central air pumped in, is turning into the dinosaur from the 20th
century,” said Susan S. Szenasy, publisher and editor in chief,
Metropolis. “Workplaces will become more multi-generational and
multi-functional, fostering communities in the process. With the
many changes in how and where we work, one thing is sure—today's
office is not your father's or mother’s office.”
Winning DesignsStaples Business Advantage awarded $7,500
to the winning team, Matthias Neumann, Louis Lipson, Eric Cohen,
Nikola Gradinski, Ethelind Coblin and Jennifer Judge, from Ethelind
Coblin Architect in New York City. Their Co-Gen Flex concept
connects two often separate generations: young entrepreneurial
professionals and active retirees. The flexible workspaces are
equipped with state-of-the-art technology including 3-D printing,
as well as a café, daycare facility, and courtyard.
“We are honored to accept this award, and we are pleased to have
our submission contribute to a wider discussion on how design may
react to and influence the work environment of tomorrow,” said
Matthias Neumann from the winning team of Ethelind Coblin
Architect. “Our proposed co-generational workspace hinges on the
belief that a multi-generational environment can facilitate a
social experience that is conducive to realizing the increasing
desire for work-life balance.”
The runner-up, Jie Zhang, is an architect and co-founder of OPT,
a platform for design inquiry and technological research, from
Cambridge, Mass. She was awarded $2,500 for her FoAM design, which
celebrates the rapidly growing freelance economy. FoAM is a
combination of easily deployable inflatables that create personal
mobile offices, which can be set up in a dense network of urban
parks transformed from vacant parking infrastructure. The
inflatables are collapsible and equipped with digital technology so
workers can connect wherever they are.
“The impressive designs all made it clear that the workplace
will continue to shift in the near future, however one thing that
will not change is the thirst for collaboration,” said Michelle
Boolton, director of interior design, Staples Business Advantage.
“And collaboration stretches beyond an open workspace. The entries
brought to life the concept of repurposing existing space into
multi-functional areas that can accommodate worker needs and wants
as well as environmental factors.”
With more than 25 years of providing quality furniture
solutions, Staples Business Advantage helps organizations of all
types and sizes—from small, local companies to large Fortune 1000
companies—create more productive, healthy and sustainable
workspaces. It is one of the largest contract furniture dealers
in North America and one of the only companies with
direct relationships with more than 250 manufacturers. From
interior designers, architects and logistics experts to
professional project managers and installation specialists, Staples
is committed to the design community and helping individuals
and businesses imagine and create workspaces that are not only
beautiful, but also the most productive they can be.
Resources:Report highlighting the designs from the
winner, runner-up, and three finalists
About Staples, Inc.Staples
helps small business customers make more happen by providing a
broad assortment of products, expanded business services and easy
ways to shop – in stores, online, via mobile or through social
apps. Staples Business Advantage, the business-to-business
division, caters to mid-market, commercial and enterprise-sized
customers by offering a one-source solution for the products and
services they need, combined with best-in-class customer service,
competitive pricing and a state-of-the-art ecommerce site.
Headquartered outside of Boston, Staples, Inc. operates throughout
North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
More information about Staples (NASDAQ: SPLS) is available at
www.staples.com.
About Metropolis
MagazineMetropolis magazine is the indispensable source
for design at all scales. For over 35 years, each issue has
delivered stories that link design to evolving cultural trends,
from big data to the maker movement. Join Metropolis for its
critical views, storytelling, and inquisitive outlook that will
help chart the future of the designed environment.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161118005146/en/
Staples, Inc.Nikki D'Addario, 508-253-8249Public Relations
Managernikki.daddario@staples.com
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