PLANETJune 2016

Apr

ès

visionfutureFUTUREVISION

A.From the A-TeamThe furniture world as we see it.

C.The InterviewWe talk to PearsonLloyd.

F.The furniture world as we see it.

WishlistE.

WellbeingOffice exercise.

D.The Honken Workstation.

The Apresal

B.Features

Future Vision: Office Technology.

From the A-Team

A. FROM THE A-TEAM

Earlier this month Milan transformed itself. While usually decked out in high heels and haute couture, the city opted for something a little more business-like: from the 12th to the 17th the city went from being one of the fashion capitals of the world to being all about furniture.

Salone del Mobile Milan is one of the highlights on the furniture calendar and draws in 2310 exhibitors in an area covering no less than 207 000 square metres.

For many of the heavyweight manufacturers re-launching or exhibiting freshly face-lifted classics seemed to be the order of the day.Knoll celebrated two of their most iconic designers, Harry Bertoia and Eero Saarinen by exhibiting gilded and bronze versions of the Side Chair as well as ones suitable for the outdoors. Saarinen’s Womb Collection, and in particular the settee, also enjoyed a re-issue.

In a similar vein, Ahrend’s motif for the expo was “a good design is a timeless one” and they decided to exhibit designs from as far back as the late 40’s and early 50’s.

All this retrospection, however, didn’t sit very well with everyone…

New York-based designer and performance artist Nikolas Gregory (via www.fastcodesign.com) would have us believe a lot of designs only gain entry because they were well financed (by the manufacturing heavyweights) or have been created by designers that have been exhibited year after year. Gregory says that this results in boring designs as the leading manufacturers usually play it safe by exhibiting rehashed versions of old classics.

His antidote to this was to douse Milan in sounds of flatulence and a bit of (toilet?) humour by encouraging visitors to place whoopy-cushions (emblazoned with “f-art”) his studio designed on furniture pieces they deem boring.

Another trend (perhaps not so prominent at the Milan fair) that we have been noticing is how the furniture world has cottoned-on to the fact that technology and the Internet of Things will need to be embraced in order for them to stay in touch with what is happening in the rest of the design world.

Embracing technology in furniture design is not a techy gimmick but a necessity. Greg Lynn, a designer for Nike, recently commented in an interview with Dezeen that “the furniture industry is slow to engage technology. It’ll either happen or they’ll disappear.”

Luckily companies like Vitra (ahem, take note mister Nikolas Gregory!) are working on interesting collaborations which sees the use of technology in furniture reach some interesting results…

All we’ll say is “watch this space!”

A.From the A-TeamThe furniture world as we see it.

C.The InterviewWe talk to PearsonLloyd.

F.The furniture world as we see it.

WishlistE.

WellbeingOffice exercise.

D.The Honken Workstation.

The Apresal

B.Features

Future Vision: Office Technology.

From the A-Team

A. FROM THE A-TEAM

Earlier this month Milan transformed itself. While usually decked out in high heels and haute couture, the city opted for something a little more business-like: from the 12th to the 17th the city went from being one of the fashion capitals of the world to being all about furniture.

Salone del Mobile Milan is one of the highlights on the furniture calendar and draws in 2310 exhibitors in an area covering no less than 207 000 square metres.

For many of the heavyweight manufacturers re-launching or exhibiting freshly face-lifted classics seemed to be the order of the day.Knoll celebrated two of their most iconic designers, Harry Bertoia and Eero Saarinen by exhibiting gilded and bronze versions of the Side Chair as well as ones suitable for the outdoors. Saarinen’s Womb Collection, and in particular the settee, also enjoyed a re-issue.

In a similar vein, Ahrend’s motif for the expo was “a good design is a timeless one” and they decided to exhibit designs from as far back as the late 40’s and early 50’s.

All this retrospection, however, didn’t sit very well with everyone…

New York-based designer and performance artist Nikolas Gregory (via www.fastcodesign.com) would have us believe a lot of designs only gain entry because they were well financed (by the manufacturing heavyweights) or have been created by designers that have been exhibited year after year. Gregory says that this results in boring designs as the leading manufacturers usually play it safe by exhibiting rehashed versions of old classics.

His antidote to this was to douse Milan in sounds of flatulence and a bit of (toilet?) humour by encouraging visitors to place whoopy-cushions (emblazoned with “f-art”) his studio designed on furniture pieces they deem boring.

Another trend (perhaps not so prominent at the Milan fair) that we have been noticing is how the furniture world has cottoned-on to the fact that technology and the Internet of Things will need to be embraced in order for them to stay in touch with what is happening in the rest of the design world.

Embracing technology in furniture design is not a techy gimmick but a necessity. Greg Lynn, a designer for Nike, recently commented in an interview with Dezeen that “the furniture industry is slow to engage technology. It’ll either happen or they’ll disappear.”

Luckily companies like Vitra (ahem, take note mister Nikolas Gregory!) are working on interesting collaborations which sees the use of technology in furniture reach some interesting results…

All we’ll say is “watch this space!”

b. FEATURES

FUTURE VISION: OFFICE TECHNOLOGYBy Wessel Stoltz

Halcyon days, where we are left to our own devices (read “no devices”), are gone: technology is taking over the world. But that might not be as bad as it sounds…

If you’re prone to opening a newspaper every now and again or sneakily flicking through a few news sites during that 2 o’clock lull at work, you’d most likely have come across the term “the Internet of Things”.

While this technology allows physical objects to do pretty cool things (Elon Musk’s self-driving cars or the fridge that orders milk from the grocers when it realises the dairy levels are running low!), employing it in the modern workplace could save millions of pounds and increase employee happiness…

As technology moves forward, it allows for the possibility of innovation in the office environment. Think, for example, of how offices used to be rigidly fixed because of the constraints of only having internet access by cable. With Wi-Fi becoming readily available – and secure – it opened up the door fordesigners and office plannersto lay out office plans that aremore intuitive and human-friendly. Technology in the officeenvironment quite literally liberated it.

And now Wi-Fi and the Internet of Things is about to revolutionise

the workplace again. In a recent article on BBC, it was noted that large corporations have started to embed hundreds of sensors into their buildings and the systems that keep it hospitable. This, in turn, can be connected to the internet, which makes the management thereof possible for staff.

Deloitte, in their Amsterdam office, at least, has em-ployed technology that enables their employees to adjust the heating (let the battle between the sexes commence!), light-ing and blinds via an app, while Arup, a building consultant here in London, are toying with embedding sensors in desks and allowing workers to control heating and lighting from them.

The article goes on to say that it is estimated that these “smart buildings” could save as much as 20% to 50% in energy bills – a good thing for the company’s pockets and the environment.

What does this mean for future furniture designs? With the current trend of Agile Working seeming to have made a lasting impression on the workplace, flexibility is paramount. While Felix de Pass said in a recent panel discussion held by Bisley, that the workplace should create a sense of belonging, we believe that it is important to note that it should do this, but in a setting

where “nomadity” is still possible.

Hot-desking, done incorrectly, can easily alienate workers. When you don’t have an assigned workspace that belongs to you alone, losing that feeling of esprit de corps becomes a real threat to team cohesion and productivity.

We see a future where the technology in furniture is used to make employees feel like they are at home; where the designs intuitively adjust to the specific user’s preference when they enter the vicinity and make them feel a sense of ownership.

With height-adjustable desks now becoming commonplace in the office, it won’t take too big a stretch of the imagination to imagine a situation where sensors in a vacant desk recognise a user’s predetermined preferences and adjusts its height accordingly as the user approaches. Similarly modern office chairs could adjust in tension, height and backrest position, where items like the Beatnik Sound Station Chair could automatically start playing a user’s playlist when he or she sits down…

While this is all still wishful thinking, we’re optimistically holding our breaths that this technology in the office environment becomes commonplace.

b. FEATURES

FUTURE VISION: OFFICE TECHNOLOGYBy Wessel Stoltz

Halcyon days, where we are left to our own devices (read “no devices”), are gone: technology is taking over the world. But that might not be as bad as it sounds…

If you’re prone to opening a newspaper every now and again or sneakily flicking through a few news sites during that 2 o’clock lull at work, you’d most likely have come across the term “the Internet of Things”.

While this technology allows physical objects to do pretty cool things (Elon Musk’s self-driving cars or the fridge that orders milk from the grocers when it realises the dairy levels are running low!), employing it in the modern workplace could save millions of pounds and increase employee happiness…

As technology moves forward, it allows for the possibility of innovation in the office environment. Think, for example, of how offices used to be rigidly fixed because of the constraints of only having internet access by cable. With Wi-Fi becoming readily available – and secure – it opened up the door fordesigners and office plannersto lay out office plans that aremore intuitive and human-friendly. Technology in the officeenvironment quite literally liberated it.

And now Wi-Fi and the Internet of Things is about to revolutionise

the workplace again. In a recent article on BBC, it was noted that large corporations have started to embed hundreds of sensors into their buildings and the systems that keep it hospitable. This, in turn, can be connected to the internet, which makes the management thereof possible for staff.

Deloitte, in their Amsterdam office, at least, has em-ployed technology that enables their employees to adjust the heating (let the battle between the sexes commence!), light-ing and blinds via an app, while Arup, a building consultant here in London, are toying with embedding sensors in desks and allowing workers to control heating and lighting from them.

The article goes on to say that it is estimated that these “smart buildings” could save as much as 20% to 50% in energy bills – a good thing for the company’s pockets and the environment.

What does this mean for future furniture designs? With the current trend of Agile Working seeming to have made a lasting impression on the workplace, flexibility is paramount. While Felix de Pass said in a recent panel discussion held by Bisley, that the workplace should create a sense of belonging, we believe that it is important to note that it should do this, but in a setting

where “nomadity” is still possible.

Hot-desking, done incorrectly, can easily alienate workers. When you don’t have an assigned workspace that belongs to you alone, losing that feeling of esprit de corps becomes a real threat to team cohesion and productivity.

We see a future where the technology in furniture is used to make employees feel like they are at home; where the designs intuitively adjust to the specific user’s preference when they enter the vicinity and make them feel a sense of ownership.

With height-adjustable desks now becoming commonplace in the office, it won’t take too big a stretch of the imagination to imagine a situation where sensors in a vacant desk recognise a user’s predetermined preferences and adjusts its height accordingly as the user approaches. Similarly modern office chairs could adjust in tension, height and backrest position, where items like the Beatnik Sound Station Chair could automatically start playing a user’s playlist when he or she sits down…

While this is all still wishful thinking, we’re optimistically holding our breaths that this technology in the office environment becomes commonplace.

c. THE INTERVIEW

Suave, debonair, charismatic, articulate – dashing even - with more than a hint of silver shadow.

No, not the handsome hero in a clichéd romance novel or the brief for portraying an aspirational male in a 30 second TV advertisement, but the impression one gets of Luke Pearson, one half of British design duo PearsonLloyd, in around 15 minutes of conversation.

We talked to Luke about modern office furniture design, the importance of personality in the workplace, quantum physics, and what the future may hold in the furniture industry…

RW: How did you meet Tom Lloyd?

LP: At the Royal College of Art. We were about 22.

RW: You recently told an audience on a talk about the modern workplace that you try and garner clues from other industries such as hospitality, to remain innovative, rather than solely research your

TALKING SHOP WITH PEARSON LLOYD

"i couldn't possibly comment..."

LUKE Pearson

own industry. Can you give an example of this?

LP: Effectively there are different influences that come into different industries from either demographics (how people behave together), to industrial build cultures that you can use. All these things are gathered by us as experience.

RW: Do you find that your office design briefs are becoming more ambitious now due to the rapid advances in technology such as secure WiFi?

LP: I think that the briefs are becoming more ambitious because people realise that one size doesn’t fit all. In the 80s and 90s we had companies selling thousands of the same workstations due to the huge expansion of the service market and computing which meant that you needed computers linked together on similar platforms. There were a number of factors… Those restrictions have disappeared. Also, we’ve got decentralisation; mega companies that don’t necessarily require mega amounts of people. So, huge changes are taking place as we speak and over the last 10 years they’ve been very visible

really. These are all influences on office design.

RW: What problems do you encounter with design now that didn’t exist when you started out almost 20 years ago?

LP: Speed is one thing: people want things too quickly these days. I think the problem with computers, in relation to the service industry, is that often you can handle huge amounts of data very quickly. But data still has to be synthesised, on a creative level, by human beings. Unfortunately human

beings have now got the unenviable task of dealing with far more data in far less time.

In a way we are being compressed at both ends of the spectrum. On one level you could say that we’ve got an extraordinary myriad of influences available to us. On the other hand you don’t get to actually spend any time to deeply immerse yourself in anything, because you’ve got this tsunami of information that rushes past you. I think it’s very similar on the design process: you can access vast quantities of information but that doesn’t mean that you are going to end up being in control of it.

By Richard Williams

c. THE INTERVIEW

Suave, debonair, charismatic, articulate – dashing even - with more than a hint of silver shadow.

No, not the handsome hero in a clichéd romance novel or the brief for portraying an aspirational male in a 30 second TV advertisement, but the impression one gets of Luke Pearson, one half of British design duo PearsonLloyd, in around 15 minutes of conversation.

We talked to Luke about modern office furniture design, the importance of personality in the workplace, quantum physics, and what the future may hold in the furniture industry…

RW: How did you meet Tom Lloyd?

LP: At the Royal College of Art. We were about 22.

RW: You recently told an audience on a talk about the modern workplace that you try and garner clues from other industries such as hospitality, to remain innovative, rather than solely research your

TALKING SHOP WITH PEARSON LLOYD

"i couldn't possibly comment..."

LUKE Pearson

own industry. Can you give an example of this?

LP: Effectively there are different influences that come into different industries from either demographics (how people behave together), to industrial build cultures that you can use. All these things are gathered by us as experience.

RW: Do you find that your office design briefs are becoming more ambitious now due to the rapid advances in technology such as secure WiFi?

LP: I think that the briefs are becoming more ambitious because people realise that one size doesn’t fit all. In the 80s and 90s we had companies selling thousands of the same workstations due to the huge expansion of the service market and computing which meant that you needed computers linked together on similar platforms. There were a number of factors… Those restrictions have disappeared. Also, we’ve got decentralisation; mega companies that don’t necessarily require mega amounts of people. So, huge changes are taking place as we speak and over the last 10 years they’ve been very visible

really. These are all influences on office design.

RW: What problems do you encounter with design now that didn’t exist when you started out almost 20 years ago?

LP: Speed is one thing: people want things too quickly these days. I think the problem with computers, in relation to the service industry, is that often you can handle huge amounts of data very quickly. But data still has to be synthesised, on a creative level, by human beings. Unfortunately human

beings have now got the unenviable task of dealing with far more data in far less time.

In a way we are being compressed at both ends of the spectrum. On one level you could say that we’ve got an extraordinary myriad of influences available to us. On the other hand you don’t get to actually spend any time to deeply immerse yourself in anything, because you’ve got this tsunami of information that rushes past you. I think it’s very similar on the design process: you can access vast quantities of information but that doesn’t mean that you are going to end up being in control of it.

By Richard Williams

RW: We are big fans of the Ad-Lib range you designed for Senator. Can you talk us through the design process or what inspired the series?

LP: Ad-Lib was based on the idea of building a universal platform that could provide a high quality of seating experience with a range of different outcomes in terms of the leg frames and applications, so it was quite simple as a brief. It is actually quite difficult to get that right as an outcome. Each different seat platform and ergonomic posture or use probably forces the product into different build scenario. Trying to get it on one platform is pretty difficult.

RW: Are your clients now more aware or more informed over what they want in a product or office design, than they were when you started out?LP: I think clients are infinitely more aware than they used to be. Whether they are knowledgeable is another matter; they’re not necessarily

the same thing. You can be aware that something is out there but whether you understand it is another matter.

RW: In a similar vein, do you now find that clients are more aware of personality types within their organisation and take this into account when asking you to design for them?

LP: Yes. I think this is one of the major breakthroughs in company culture and HR. Companies are far more advanced in terms of reading the workforce and satisfying workforce requirements, not because of legislation but because they realise that it improves the working dynamic. The idea of leisure time in the 21st century is almost mythical – it’s probably going the other way – and so as a result my belief (and I think a lot of companies are beginning to realise this) is that the workplace has to be made more interesting and more accepting of the personalities that are going to inhabit those spaces. Therefore,

they actually allow a social culture to develop, rather than saying “This is the company and this is how you work” it’s more like: “Ok, who have we got here, how would they like to work, how would this benefit everybody...”

So, the process [designing in response to personality types] is beginning and we’ve got a long way to go. It’s as much evolution as it is revolution and I think it’s also a process of change. You’re never going to get it quite right because, just like evolution, things develop. You’ve got to go forwards with the principle that it will never be perfect but you’ve got to always look for perfection. In other words: accept change and look for opportunities at all times.

RW: If you could have chosen any other vocation in life, what would it have been?

LP: Quantum Physicist.

RW: Having designed Lufthansa’s first fully flat Business Class seat does “thank you” come in the

form of a lifetime of business class flights?

LP: I couldn’t possibly comment!

RW: Describe Tom Lloyd in one sentence.

LP: A partner; as a business partner you need someone whose opinion you can trust and demands a challenging conversation.

RW: Described Luke Pearson in one sentence.

LP: Hopefully the same [as the answer above]! RW: And finally… Where do you see furniture heading in the future?

LP: I think we’re going to see a polarisation. At one end of the spectrum it will be generic, bland and simple. On the other end of the spectrum it will be infinitely customised.

We’re going to see, I think, ever-increasing demands on products being cheaper and doing very specific tasks. We’ll see a degradation in content, sometimes for good reasons and outcomes. At the other end of that spectrum it will be absolutely bespoke solutions because we have much more knowledge of what we need and want and the general market can’t supply it.

Also, it relates to this question about workplaces; designing very specific and tailored solutions for staff because one

size fits all doesn’t always work. Whereas in some applications one size fits all does work. I think what I’m talking about is a much richer spectrum of product. At one end bland and simple because it doesn’t need complexity, and other end it needs absolutely everything.

"...people realise that one size doesn't fit all."

The brand new Twelve Sofa is available from Après Furniture.

RW: We are big fans of the Ad-Lib range you designed for Senator. Can you talk us through the design process or what inspired the series?

LP: Ad-Lib was based on the idea of building a universal platform that could provide a high quality of seating experience with a range of different outcomes in terms of the leg frames and applications, so it was quite simple as a brief. It is actually quite difficult to get that right as an outcome. Each different seat platform and ergonomic posture or use probably forces the product into different build scenario. Trying to get it on one platform is pretty difficult.

RW: Are your clients now more aware or more informed over what they want in a product or office design, than they were when you started out?LP: I think clients are infinitely more aware than they used to be. Whether they are knowledgeable is another matter; they’re not necessarily

the same thing. You can be aware that something is out there but whether you understand it is another matter.

RW: In a similar vein, do you now find that clients are more aware of personality types within their organisation and take this into account when asking you to design for them?

LP: Yes. I think this is one of the major breakthroughs in company culture and HR. Companies are far more advanced in terms of reading the workforce and satisfying workforce requirements, not because of legislation but because they realise that it improves the working dynamic. The idea of leisure time in the 21st century is almost mythical – it’s probably going the other way – and so as a result my belief (and I think a lot of companies are beginning to realise this) is that the workplace has to be made more interesting and more accepting of the personalities that are going to inhabit those spaces. Therefore,

they actually allow a social culture to develop, rather than saying “This is the company and this is how you work” it’s more like: “Ok, who have we got here, how would they like to work, how would this benefit everybody...”

So, the process [designing in response to personality types] is beginning and we’ve got a long way to go. It’s as much evolution as it is revolution and I think it’s also a process of change. You’re never going to get it quite right because, just like evolution, things develop. You’ve got to go forwards with the principle that it will never be perfect but you’ve got to always look for perfection. In other words: accept change and look for opportunities at all times.

RW: If you could have chosen any other vocation in life, what would it have been?

LP: Quantum Physicist.

RW: Having designed Lufthansa’s first fully flat Business Class seat does “thank you” come in the

form of a lifetime of business class flights?

LP: I couldn’t possibly comment!

RW: Describe Tom Lloyd in one sentence.

LP: A partner; as a business partner you need someone whose opinion you can trust and demands a challenging conversation.

RW: Described Luke Pearson in one sentence.

LP: Hopefully the same [as the answer above]! RW: And finally… Where do you see furniture heading in the future?

LP: I think we’re going to see a polarisation. At one end of the spectrum it will be generic, bland and simple. On the other end of the spectrum it will be infinitely customised.

We’re going to see, I think, ever-increasing demands on products being cheaper and doing very specific tasks. We’ll see a degradation in content, sometimes for good reasons and outcomes. At the other end of that spectrum it will be absolutely bespoke solutions because we have much more knowledge of what we need and want and the general market can’t supply it.

Also, it relates to this question about workplaces; designing very specific and tailored solutions for staff because one

size fits all doesn’t always work. Whereas in some applications one size fits all does work. I think what I’m talking about is a much richer spectrum of product. At one end bland and simple because it doesn’t need complexity, and other end it needs absolutely everything.

"...people realise that one size doesn't fit all."

The brand new Twelve Sofa is available from Après Furniture.

As if the Honken Armchair from Bla Station was not cool enough already, maverick designers Thomas Bernstrand, Johan Lindau & Stefan Borse-lius gave it the star treatment to make it an even more desirable object for the modern office or agile workspace. The result is the Honken Workstation Armchair.

With the addition of a writing tablet/side table and a nifty storage compartment below it, this already roomy armchair, is an agile office essential. This, however, is not where the additions to the Honken Workstation Armchair stop – cleverly tucked under the chair is a power socket, complete with USB ports, to ensure you stay charged throughout the day.

The Honken Workstation Armchair is not only the answer to all your agile working needs, but is equally at home in training

environments, schools, colleges and uni-versity settings.

Introduced to the public at this year’s (2016) Stockholm Furniture Fair the Honken Workstation Armchair, like his more ascetic cousin, sports a durable 30mm tubular frame with a bottom plate of no less than 6mm steel. The chair bas-ket is formed from expanded metal and ensures that the frame is rigid and can resist, ahem, shocks to the system…

The chair is available with a high or low back and with or without back cushions. You can also specify whether you want it upholstered in either fabric or leather and with or without an accompanying, and very complementary, ottoman.

The Honken Workstation Armchair is more than a mere workstation – it becomes a little microcosm where com-fort and style is key and where you can focus on the task at hand.

the apresal:honken workstation

D. the apresal

Being organised does not have to be boring.

As if the Honken Armchair from Bla Station was not cool enough already, maverick designers Thomas Bernstrand, Johan Lindau & Stefan Borse-lius gave it the star treatment to make it an even more desirable object for the modern office or agile workspace. The result is the Honken Workstation Armchair.

With the addition of a writing tablet/side table and a nifty storage compartment below it, this already roomy armchair, is an agile office essential. This, however, is not where the additions to the Honken Workstation Armchair stop – cleverly tucked under the chair is a power socket, complete with USB ports, to ensure you stay charged throughout the day.

The Honken Workstation Armchair is not only the answer to all your agile working needs, but is equally at home in training

environments, schools, colleges and uni-versity settings.

Introduced to the public at this year’s (2016) Stockholm Furniture Fair the Honken Workstation Armchair, like his more ascetic cousin, sports a durable 30mm tubular frame with a bottom plate of no less than 6mm steel. The chair bas-ket is formed from expanded metal and ensures that the frame is rigid and can resist, ahem, shocks to the system…

The chair is available with a high or low back and with or without back cushions. You can also specify whether you want it upholstered in either fabric or leather and with or without an accompanying, and very complementary, ottoman.

The Honken Workstation Armchair is more than a mere workstation – it becomes a little microcosm where com-fort and style is key and where you can focus on the task at hand.

the apresal:honken workstation

D. the apresal

Being organised does not have to be boring.

Is your office flexible enough?www.agileworking.london

#agileworkinglondon e. wellbeing

1. Have a ball!Instead of sitting on the average office chair, opt for an exercise ball. By just sitting you work on your abs, improve your balance and even correct your spinal alignment.

2. Bottoms up…Clenching your bottom while sitting will give you that extra bit of lift you need! Tense your glutes and hold for 15 seconds, relax and repeat. Just do try and not pull a face…

3. And SquatFeign a few indeci-sive stand-up and sit-downs without losing face in the office, your quads will thank you later. Those in the know will tell you that squats are great at burning fat!

4. Leg upWhile sitting with both legs at 90° and feet firmly on the floor, raise your right foot a few inches off the ground and hold for 20 seconds, alternate and repeat.

5. Tiptoe-tapperWith both feet flat on the floor, tap your toes alternating quickly between feet. Try and lift your toes quite high as this works out your shins.

Offices are designed to minimize movement; it’s all about keeping you at your desk so you can simultaneously appease the boss’s wife on the other side of the line (that’s why you matter to him), type out a mail, flap down a copy of the year-end report on the scanner, hand the sta-pler to your colleague and, if you’re lucky, press the “on” button on the espresso machine. All whilst sitting down at your desk.

Lucky for you, we’ve done all the legwork (pun intended) and came up with five sneaky ex-ercises that you can covertly do at your desk or in the office, and if you are found out by chair-toting, exercise-hating colleagues, you can always fall back on the facts: people who exercise during the day are far more productive and happy than those who don’t.

Office ExerciseWork towards a healthier life.

1 2 3

4 5

Is your office flexible enough?www.agileworking.london

#agileworkinglondon e. wellbeing

1. Have a ball!Instead of sitting on the average office chair, opt for an exercise ball. By just sitting you work on your abs, improve your balance and even correct your spinal alignment.

2. Bottoms up…Clenching your bottom while sitting will give you that extra bit of lift you need! Tense your glutes and hold for 15 seconds, relax and repeat. Just do try and not pull a face…

3. And SquatFeign a few indeci-sive stand-up and sit-downs without losing face in the office, your quads will thank you later. Those in the know will tell you that squats are great at burning fat!

4. Leg upWhile sitting with both legs at 90° and feet firmly on the floor, raise your right foot a few inches off the ground and hold for 20 seconds, alternate and repeat.

5. Tiptoe-tapperWith both feet flat on the floor, tap your toes alternating quickly between feet. Try and lift your toes quite high as this works out your shins.

Offices are designed to minimize movement; it’s all about keeping you at your desk so you can simultaneously appease the boss’s wife on the other side of the line (that’s why you matter to him), type out a mail, flap down a copy of the year-end report on the scanner, hand the sta-pler to your colleague and, if you’re lucky, press the “on” button on the espresso machine. All whilst sitting down at your desk.

Lucky for you, we’ve done all the legwork (pun intended) and came up with five sneaky ex-ercises that you can covertly do at your desk or in the office, and if you are found out by chair-toting, exercise-hating colleagues, you can always fall back on the facts: people who exercise during the day are far more productive and happy than those who don’t.

Office ExerciseWork towards a healthier life.

1 2 3

4 5

Objects of DesireGo on, spoil yourself...

214 ChairIt’s no mean feat getting a knot into a solid wooden chair... But that’s why this chair is one of the most succesful ever.

Harvey SofaGreat in green and perfect for those gregarious moments in the office breakout area or at home.

Cork Family Stools Three small friends, robustly built, stable, individual in character and lovable in appearance.

Akari Floor LampDesigned by Isamu Noguchi, this floor lamp will shed all the right kinds of light.

Proust Geometrica Designed by Alessandro Mendini, this piece is as much art as it is chair.

F. wishlist

Objects of DesireGo on, spoil yourself...

214 ChairIt’s no mean feat getting a knot into a solid wooden chair... But that’s why this chair is one of the most succesful ever.

Harvey SofaGreat in green and perfect for those gregarious moments in the office breakout area or at home.

Cork Family Stools Three small friends, robustly built, stable, individual in character and lovable in appearance.

Akari Floor LampDesigned by Isamu Noguchi, this floor lamp will shed all the right kinds of light.

Proust Geometrica Designed by Alessandro Mendini, this piece is as much art as it is chair.

F. wishlist

The boss said we should come up with an ad for Après Furniture. Preferably on the last page of our newspaper, something our readers will remember. Only, it should be quite funny and kept on the short side. If you can do something witty, that would be great, because people don’t like a direct sell. Throw in all the latest furniture pieces we have, he said, and maybe you should also add in a line or two about our designers being the best in the business. And don’t forget to write about all of the awards they have won.

Oh, right, I said with a straight face, I’ll just do a short, clever furniture ad with the words ‘sofa’, ‘king’ and ‘good’…