Natural selection: König + Neurath

How to design offices in the current climate and still manage to maintain interpersonal contact? KÖNIG + NEURATH offers an answer to the question that every planner is asking themself at the moment.

By König+Neurath and Mareile Morawietz for

König+Neurath

December 16, 2020 | 11:00 pm CUT

Much has changed since Charles Darwin published his theories of evolution in 1859 – and not only on the Galapagos Islands. Yet, while the darkling beetle of the Namib Desert developed a capillary system in its shell to harvest fog as a source of drinking water and the Fritillaria delavayi flower shed its colour to protect itself from medicinal plant collectors, humans seem to be less adaptable.

This has been particularly clear this year. The pandemic has turned our lives upside down – at home, but above all, at work. Hygiene standards that, at the beginning of the year, were taken for granted, no longer comply with new regulations. Meetings are now only possible remotely or digitally, and working from home is part of everyday life for many people. Remote working is proving to be a successful alternative to working in front of a desk and social distancing, the norm.

Set up as a bench workstation, Talo.You’s protective panel is fixed in the middle, so that one person can temporarily work in a standing position while the other remains seated. Fewer compromises, more teamwork

But old habits die hard and, despite modern communication tools, people continue to seek personal interaction and comfort. If we don’t want to, or can’t adapt, the environment has to – in this case the office. This is where companies are called upon to quickly create dynamic working environments that safely and effectively meet modern requirements and actively support the changes happening in the world of work.

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The pandemic has turned our lives upside down – at home, but above all, at work

As one of the leading suppliers of office furniture and room systems in Europe, König + Neurath develops tailor-made solutions to make the ‘new normal’ attractive to employees. Customisable furniture concepts can be used for different types of ‘work islands’ – individual workstations for focused work, team workstations that meet changing health-requirements, and communication areas of different kinds.

Jobs are increasingly shared. The simple design of Talo.You is highly functional while the Personalbox allows personal items to be stored at each desk

Every piece of furniture is designed with the fact in mind, that everything could change tomorrow. From chair to partition, from desk to conference table, from colour to surface: König + Neurath’s new products are mobile, modular and adaptable tools for modern working environments. Their clear design makes a compelling argument in the office as well as in the home office, because functionality is as important as comfort.

Different tasks require different furniture. König + Neurath creates flexible solutions with Talo.You as a nesting table featuring transparent panels, with standing aids such as Quick.III, with individual workstations, and K+N NOOK as a counter chair

The new series of Talo.You tables, which builds on König + Neurath’s success and experience, is a flexible system – scalable and expandable. Talo.You can make itself useful as a desk at home or in the office. It can be used as a meeting table, conference table and bench, and is available as a mobile, easily accessible table for standing meetings. Its adjustable height provides additional freedom and its wide range of forms ensures it fits harmoniously into any environment.

Every detail can be configured to personal needs and tastes, from the foot and the frame to the tabletop. Add rollers to make the height-adjustable table mobile, or choose between equally stable A-legs or T-legs. For storing personal belongings, there is a lockable, personal box, either attached to the table itself or as a mobile version you can take with you.

Talo.You’s appearance can be changed, so, depending on the style of furnishing, it also fits ideally into home office environments together with the flexible and comfortable K+N NOOK chair

For Talo.You, there are panels available that help users in a variety of ways, for example, to comply with hygiene rules, enable more-focused work or improve acoustic conditions. Mobile modules, room dividers and shelves use the table range to structure workspaces where people can learn, work and talk. The new K+N NOOK visitor and conference chair is just as versatile, also boasting a modular principle as well as comfort.

Various frame shapes, surfaces, armrests, backrests, upholstery, colours and fabrics mean that K+N NOOK is available in 40 different configurations, all of which boast clear design and are big on comfort – thanks in part to its intelligent, movable backrest construction. Each of the chair’s different modules can be replaced, so wear and tear on individual parts is quickly remedied, and the need for buying a new one, alleviated.

Thanks to its modular concept, K+N NOOK can meet varying user-requirements, from frame to upholstery, and, in combination with Talo.You as a conference table with transparent hygiene panels, delivers comfort and safety

K+N NOOK has more to offer than just supporting the backs of office workers and conferences guests. It can, for example, be adapted to a company’s corporate design, and can play both discreet or more central roles within a room layout. It can be easily stored away or stacked until needed next, and – thanks to its modular concept, high-quality materials and clean lines – can fit effortlessly into existing concepts as well as new working environments.

In addition to aesthetics and comfort, König + Neurath is also ever-focused on the environment. While its designs are flexible, the company is uncompromising when it comes to quality and conscientious production. It’s manufacturing processes aim to support our ecosystem in order to allow future generations to enjoy a healthy living environment – one where people can continue to be themselves, where their environment adapts to them instead of them having to adapt to it.

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