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In recent years, where, when and how we work has changed a lot. Simultaneously, more and more of us are living in more compact homes, prompting the question: how can we better integrate our working lives into our home lives? A group of forward-looking design students have some answers in the shape of alternative working environments that are mindful of our well-being, whilst sparking joy and creativity in our, often tiny, home offices.
WFH (work from home). A practice most of us had to more or less become good at overnight when the first Covid lockdown began in 2020. Limited home-working spaces were shared, noise levels were grappled with, and our new work wardrobes became a from-the-waist-up-only concern. It’s true that many of us worked remotely on occasion long before the pandemic, but for the vast majority of us it meant a scramble for space, privacy and fit-for-purpose furniture.
For many, greater flexibility around where we work is considered to be one of the pleasant hangovers from the Covid lockdown days, with one-fifth of the global workforce working fully remotely in 2024, and 98 percent of workers expressing the desire to sometimes WFH, according to Forbes. Many of us are striving for balance – some in-office days and some WFH days.
Acknowledging this global shift in our working patterns, alongside an increasing trend towards more compact ways of living, the Chair of Integrated Product Design (the IDP) at TUM (Technical University of Munich) launched the design project Tiny Home Office Integrated Product Design in April 2024.
Colin Chee, Never Too Small’s creative director, collaborated with the academic team, including Katja Thoring and John Lam, offering insights into the current state of small-space living and design. This “[allowed] students to create innovative prototypes that address real-world challenges,” and explore how design “can improve both physical and mental wellbeing in the context of remote work,” says John.
All of this meant that the team at Never Too Small was able to get a front row seat from which to watch all of the designs develop and the resulting prototypes emerge. From the 25 international students enrolled on the course, we’re sharing our five favourite innovative and sustainable tiny home office design solutions. Ranging from a block seat that can be split and turned into a working space or a place to take a break and relax, to colourful folding butterfly and chromosome-shaped folding furniture, we hope you’re as excited and inspired by these creative, fun and highly adaptable designs as we are.
‘Stow Office’ designed by Lina Shahristani, was inspired by the compact and multifunctional spaces in van life. The Stow Office serves as a compact desk and stool combination with ample storage space to transform any small space into a home office. After use, the stool can be stowed away by sliding under the desk, minimising its footprint and allowing it to double as a side table.
Hanna Bremer’s ‘ShapeShift’ chair is an ideal tiny home office design. The box-like parallelogram shape offers three seating arrangements: a stool, a mobile workspace, and a small lounge chair. This trio of functions make ShapeShift an adaptable design for both work and leisure, a necessity in small footprint living. Interviews with people living and working on sailboats gave Bremer the insight to design a piece that can be seamlessly transformed in different environments using blocks that slot neatly back together.
Inspired by origami and the liveliness of nature, Julius Gut’s ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ is a vibrant and playful collection of folding furniture, tables and stools. The hinged folding mechanism and the detachable table tops make these furniture pieces compact and easy to store if necessary, but given their bold and attractive forms, it’s hard to imagine anyone not wanting to have them on show.
Maria Inês Varela Serrano & Carolina Tideman’s ‘Flip Flop’ was born out of a need to bring inspiration and colour into our workspaces, with a mounted artwork that unfolds into a table. Alongside colour, Flip Flop offers an extra home office space, something that’s often limited in smaller living spaces, and especially in shared living – making working from home a less cramped and more colourful experience.
Sushi look-alike ‘Nigiri’ is a Japanese-inspired combination of sitting cushions that slot neatly under the overarching desk. Anna Pfleger and Elena Bonhag drew their inspiration from micro apartments and various Japanese design principles. The finished product is multifunctional and space efficient while accommodating ergonomic seating options. Different stacking configurations of the cushions allow two people to share the desk – a perfect space for collaborative work and social interactions.
Work ‘n’ Roll’ designed by Camilla Russo and Maya Krumova is for those looking to break away from the traditional desk and chair workspace. This versatile seating set-up encourages creativity and flexibility, allowing users to adapt their workspace effortlessly. The red concertina-textured fabric cleverly aids comfort without adding unnecessary bulk or weight, and facilitates easy rolling and storage of the fabric. Beyond floor seating, Work ‘n’ Roll is a multifunctional piece that can be used as a traditional chair or a compact table with two storage shelves.
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As featured in Issue 2 of our magazine!
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