Have you ever wondered what office furniture would look like if it was designed by a young person with boundless energy? Darryl Agawin, a med student turned product designer shows that the stereotype of the “couch potato” generation has it all wrong. Generation Y may actually be the first to crack the problem of the sedentary American working style. Sit-to-stand and treadmill desks aren’t ambitious enough for Agawin. Instead, he’s developed a suite of furniture for the home or office that can double as a complete gym.

In the design stage, Darryl investigated a wide array of popular fitness routines and identified the common movements and support structures. From there, he created a simple 3 piece set of furnishings that can facilitate dozens (if not hundreds) of physical exercises. It’s all very low tech, so there’s nothing that really requires maintenance. Each larger piece of furniture breaks down into smaller components to increase the versatility of the workspace/workout space. You can see the video over at Gizmodo.com. Warning: If you are over the age of 35, you may get tired just watching this. The concept is called “No Sweat!”, but that’s obviously a lie.

Are you trying to find the right balance between your closed and open office furniture systems? There’s a very specific “typology” that encompasses both formal and informal, business and relaxation, work and hospitality, enclosure and collaboration. These furnishings are both less than and more than cubicles. They are designed to bring people together while also ensuring more freedom of movement and privacy within the workplace. They are part of the underlying support structure that may help usher in the new era of hot-desking and free employees from assigned workstations.

Wonder what we’re talking about? Check out the examples and an in-depth analysis of this trend at Architonic.com. Here’s an excerpt “… A raft of the new office systems and furniture programs have appeared that would seem to reflect the zeitgeist of contemporary office culture – one which ostensibly privileges both group intelligence and idea-generating communication between co-workers on the one hand and a sense of privacy bound up with notions of concentration and productivity on the other…”

Do see a place in your own organization for this office furniture typology? Let us know in the comments.

These days, all manufacturers regularly use CAD and other design and manufacturing software to create office furniture. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t have the chance to enjoy delightful new workstation tools or the latest ergonomic task chairs. But some companies are taking this practice to a whole new level. At the “Contemporist” website, you can see a fantastical set of sculptural office furniture developed by HWCD in Shanghai, China. The architecture and design firm uses parametric and generative modeling techniques, CNC (computer numerical control) and laser cutting machinery to develop the concept, design in detail, do construction analysis, and handle post-production in a single step. In other words, they are perfecting the product and preparing to produce it while they’re still brainstorming the initial design. Even 10 years ago, this probably wouldn’t have been possible. So, computers are definitely changing the way office furniture comes into being.

What’s the result? A reception desk that resembles a giant fish skeleton. That sounds like a design that would stink, but it’s actually quite elegant. The individual ribs lend the bulky piece a delicate air that’s inviting and appealing. We’re just wondering how difficult it would be to clean up if someone spilled a cup of coffee on it…

A research team at the Boston University School of Public Health has released troubling news about a chemical commonly used as a fire-retardant in polyurethane foam. This type of foam is often found in office furniture, which is typically required to meet higher fire resistance standards than home furniture. TDCPP is believed to be carcinogenic. It is also associated with a reduction in thyroxine for individuals who have regular exposure to TDCPP (low levels of this hormone are linked to male infertility).

What the Study Showed

In the Boston study, the highest levels of TDCPP contamination in airborne dust were found in older office buildings (with correspondingly older office furniture). Urine tests performed on workers at these sites showed a correlating higher level of TDCPP metabolites as well, indicating that occupational exposure does allow the chemical to make it into the body. The two main routes are thought to be inhalation and ingestion.

While this study is alarming, it’s important to understand that there are still many issues to clarify. For example, it’s unclear if the TDCPP levels were higher in older office buildings because old office furniture could be more likely to contain the chemical or if the levels simply build up over time, making newer buildings less prone to show accumulation. It’s also important to note that the study only included 31 people – not anywhere near what you’d need for a true epidemiological study.

TDCPP “Under Fire” in Other Locales as Well

California is one state that has this chemical in the crosshairs. Office furniture in this state is required to meet very specific flame retardant standards. But Proposition 65 also means manufacturers must inform consumers (via labeling) if a product contains a harmful chemical where consumer exposure would exceed a safe threshold. The American Chemistry Council and the North American Flame Retardant Alliance offer a rundown on the topic of Prop 65 and TDCPP that is informative (although it could possibly be biased).

Regardless of the validity of the Boston research team’s findings, we do agree with the conclusion: Employees should wash their hands before eating (seriously, that was the takeaway message). Also, employers should institute good ventilation, dust control and air purification measures to help reduce exposure to contaminants in the workplace. Oh, and if you want to get rid of your old furniture and replace it with new, we can help with that!