During my final year at Fontys University of Applied Sciences, our Industrial Design class worked on a project for Royal Ahrend, a Dutch company known for its beautiful ergonomic office furniture. We were tasked with designing a piece for the theme 'Out of Office' as part of a design competition.
Even before the pandemic, the demand for flexible and wellbeing-oriented workspaces was rising. Research showed that incorporating nature and plants enhances employee wellbeing and productivity, so as a group we asked ourselves: How can we bring nature into the office? Our answer was the "Turnahround," a versatile furniture piece for open office environments. It transitions between work and relaxation mode, integrating a plant wall to bring natural elements into the workspace. The Turnahround was one of three winning concepts nominated by Ahrend.
Role
Product design studio at Fontys University of Applied Sciences | Group work with Sharon Simons, Meike Jacobs, Benedict Classen
ClientTasks
Ideation | Concept development | Design sketches and visualisation
Achievements
Winning concept for Ahrend design competition
Concept Direction and Shape Exploration
After exploring various concepts that provide flexibility and enable the integration of greenery, we chose to design an office furniture piece suitable for open office and reception areas. This piece transitions between work and relaxation modes and includes space for vertical greening panels on its sides. We experimented with playful shapes that serve as workspaces in one orientation and as relaxation spots when rotated around by 180 degrees. The design is inspired by a blend of wood and natural colors.
Sketches: Alina
Prototyping life sized and scaled models
We prioritized ergonomics in our office furniture design, ensuring dimensions like seating height and table height are suitable for 95th percentile users according to Dined standards. To better understand the sizes, we created life size prototypes and scaled models to showcase the rotation concept.
Prototypes: Team effort
Design Features: Vertical Greening Panels, Modularity and Turning Mechanism
To attach vertical greening panels to the sides of the turnaround, the wooden sides feature a pegboard-like structure that allows the plant panels to click into place. This design also enables customization, such as attaching shelves instead of plants.
To ensure the turnaround fits into flat packs and through doors, we developed a modular structure that allows the piece to adapt to various spaces and facilitates the replacement of any broken parts.
For smooth transition between work and relaxation modes, we explored various turning mechanisms and designed a lever system hidden behind the wooden frame. Springs serve as a braking system, automatically locking the wheel into position unless the lever is engaged to rotate the turnahround into a different position.
Sketches: Alina
