In today’s urban settings, we are familiar with collective, public work environments in the form of coworking spaces, cafés and hotel lobbies. These can also be found in more and more company buildings, as firms open their ground floor to the public. There is little demand for the classic desk in such places – rather, large sofas form the hub of new working practices. As a platform around which the workday revolves, they are equipped with power connections, worktops and privacy screens. Additional tables and chairs are grouped around the sofa and can be pulled up as needed. The Shared Office blurs the boundaries between the office and public space. As part of this concept, Soft Work is a new modular sofa system by Vitra that responds to today’s needs, drawing on Vitra’s extensive experience in the office, airport and home sectors. Developed in collaboration with the designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, Soft Work is being presented for the very first time at Orgatec.
