After the Vitra Summit, our first two-day virtual event in October 2020, we will launch a series of short digital sprints in 2021: the Vitra Sessions. The sessions will continue to be highly diverse, mixing design stories with expert keynotes, product news with handy tips for individuals and companies. Taking place throughout the year, the new format answers many of the pressing questions that have emerged since the pandemic hit the world last year.

Questions about remote working and its impact on the quality of our output and our lives were on our minds even before the onset of the global pandemic. Rapid innovation in communication technologies had already created the potential for new forms of digital connection yet distributed working practices had not gained traction.

The first Vitra Session will take place on 11 March and explore the world of ‘Distributed work’ and its implications for businesses and organisations. Profound change in the behaviour of organisations and individuals does not come easy. In March 2020, however, international lockdowns proved to be the catalyst for a worldwide working from home experiment. As vaccination programmes proceed in many countries, it is the moment for companies and individuals to assess the mid-to-long-term implications of the shift towards a distributed working model on their lives and on the success of their organisations.

The Vitra Sessions are a series of short digital events to explore how offices, homes and public spaces are evolving. The format will bring together expert keynotes and conversations on design, and feature product news with practical tips for individuals and companies. Short sequences presenting creative insights from within and far beyond the realm of furniture will bring another dimension. During the digital sessions, we will dive into the experiences of the past year and question the nature of our shared spatial environments, which have been put to the test.

Which topics impact office environments, communal spaces or the home, and which processes will influence the future of work? In a series of newspapers dedicated to the world of work and current global topics, we invite designers, architects and industry experts to address these themes.