We seem to be constantly looking for ways to improve our WFH lifestyle and adapt to this new reality. Some love working from home, others just miss the office. But for most it’s somewhere in between.
During these times, design studios have pivoted towards building a WFH tool belt that you can pick and choose from. Today’s compact home office was just a prototype until today – the 16th of September 2021 – when it will be showcased to the public for the first time as part of a carpenter conference in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany.
Berlin-based furniture design studio Michael Hilgers came up with the WILLI Home Office Plug-in as a WFH solution for small spaces. Working in close cooperation with the Think & Do Tank Qratorium, designer Michael Hilgers combined new media with physical reality in a compact multifunctional workdesk.
In the designer’s own words, working from home has proven of great inspiration for the design process: “Working from home is a new requirement that has surprisingly penetrated our (sometimes quite small) living spaces; at the same time, physical books are less relevant than ever.“
“The intention was to combine these megatrends in a simple way and to develop a space-saving solution that can transform the world’s best-selling bookshelf into a contemporary, compact home office by adding a simple plug-in“, he continues.
The WILLI Home Office Plug-in by furniture design studio Michael Hilgers shows creativity at work. This compact workspace design can be integrated into existing shelves or it can stand on its own. Reminiscent of old desks while taking into consideration that physical paperwork and books are a luxury option in a small living space, this furniture piece is a hybrid that deserves us visualising the space it would occupy in your own home.
The designer explains: “Willi can be used as a sitting or standing desk – but without taking up additional space. The minimalist box can be customized by adding exchangeable engraved front surfaces or by integrating additional functions such as wireless chargers, pen holders, LED lights, etc. In close cooperation with the Think & Do Tank Qratorium, a functional prototype was created within a few weeks, which will be presented to the public for the first time on September 16, 21 as part of the carpenter conference in North Rhine-Westphalia.”
We’ve talked before about making a choice between displaying a bespoke desk design or having a designer workspace. The WILLI Home Office Plug-in is somewhat of a hybrid between the two and so much more. It tends to the modern needs of the work from home force and is capable of hiding in the smallest of homes. What did you choose for your very first time working from home?
As we moved deeper into working from home and all its challenges, we’ve seen potential to work from virtually any room in the house, to revamp the old corners into stunning home workspaces, working from the garden or even go out on the road in between working hours. Here are a few highlights to explore further:
10 Seductive Dark Bedroom Workspaces for Private Work
10 Remarkable Mezzanine In-Home Workspaces