I thought I would just post a couple of renders from a recent office interior project that the Urban team have been working on.  The renders show an idea for a local small business hub incorporating a think tank, snug and small kitchenette.  Should you like further information on our design services, contact us from our main modern and contemporary office interiors website.

More updates from the world of contemporary office interiors coming soon including our Natural Collection.  2012, we embrace you.

Tray is architectural experience. A new language of furniture: clean lines and multiple functions. A table with storage, filing and separation accessories that evolve with the needs of the users and space: contract, office and home. Tray has been internationally recognized with the prestigious iF Design Award 2012.

The Tray table was created by architect Pedro Feduchi as an exercise of pure lines and balanced between functionality and personality.  Harmony of lines, quality of materials and finish.  A table that adapts to the evolution of its use, perfect for improving the productivity in work environments and for moments of leisure and reflection.

Office space

Tray is synonymous with efficiency and flexibility, multifunction and resistance, individual or team decisions, with or without a tie, reflection or action, online and offline. Comfort to create, to think and act. Tray adds value to the different areas within the office with its clear architectonic design, its multiple formats and technical details.

Multifunctional and resistant, Tray is adaptable to all types of reception, information and consultation areas. Tray relates well to the architecture of commercial spaces and for those with high transit areas, providing distinction and multiple features.

Home space

Style and comfort, Tray fits in well in the home and accompanies the user in their everyday moments of leisure and work.  Tray sits beautifully in all home environments.

Specification

The Tray furniture system is composed of resistant and efficient materials such as cold rolled steel and beech from controlled reforestation.  With the aim of increasing the resistance to atmospheric corrosion, all metallic elements are protected by a veneer of oven-dried Epoxy-Polyester paint in textured white.

Reference

Pedro Feduchi, architect

Doctor of Architecture from the Superior Technical School of Architecture of Madrid (ETSAM) and resident professor. He combines his professional activities as an architect with those of being an academic and the exhibition commissioner. In his studio he develops architectural projects, renovates buildings, restores monuments, and designs urban areas as well as furniture. He is currently working on the furnishing and adaptation project of the proposed rest areas in the Madrid City Hall, in the Cibeles Palace. He has commissioned exhibitions such as Furniture Design in the Madrid of the 50s and 60s (2005-2007) and has collaborated with important museums and cultural institutions such as the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Since 2010, he has been lecturing on the Master in Advanced Architectural Projects course at E.T.S.A.M.

The Tray office table is available from Urban Office Interiors, contemporary office furniture and interior specialists in the UK. Contact Urban Office Interiors for further information on the Tray table and other modern and contemporary office furniture or commercial interior design.

As always, the answer is clever design – the type we at Urban Office HQ love…

Monitor arms are a modest yet effective way of revealing that valuable abyss of space that has been hiding underneath the old fashioned monitor base (along with a few long lost paperclips no doubt!). The good news doesn’t end there – elevating your monitor from your work surface not only results in a far more productive and efficient work space, (and somewhere to put that Newton’s Cradle Aunt Doris bought you last Christmas), but also creates a near perfect ergonomic environment for you to work in. Installing a monitor arm means you will have complete flexibility to move the monitor from side to side and up and down, along with various angles in-between. Simply pushing or pulling it in the desired direction tailors your very own workspace to produce optimal comfort.  

Monitor arms vary greatly in style, quality; materials used etc, so here at Urban Office HQ, our agents laid their hands on three different arm models and put them through our usual vigorous tests to see which monitor arm rises above the rest.

EVO II – Innovative Office Products

The first to be scrutinised by the Urban Office once over is the EVO II from the designers at Innovative Office Products – winner of the FIRA’s Ergonomic Excellence Award and shortlisted for 2011 Product of the Year category at the FX Design Awards 2011. Following on from the success of their first EVO monitor arm support, EVO II has a dynamic look which is clean, streamline and elegant. The chrome finish casing cleverly mirrors its surroundings and gently fades away into the background.

Build:

The spring mechanised arm is engineered from steel, aluminium and plastic. Overall it has a robust and durable feel to it. Although the plastic casing on the middle section of the arm doesn’t quite live up to the promise of the rest of the product and feels like it could be a chink in the armour! But no, this didn’t really affect the overall aesthetics or manoeuvrability.  The introduction of a spring loaded action throughout the product as an alternative to gas and the introduction of smooth flowing joints has allowed the manufactures to create a counter balanced product, ensuring fluidity and longevity. Supports monitors up to 9kg approx.

The bump test: (Please note that these tests are not carried out under strict scientific conditions – just one man’s reasonably large derrière and a desk)

An accidental bump on the desk is not uncommon in the workplace when moving around and we are pleased to report that this monitor arm showed no signs of movement when this was put to the test.

Usability:

Fluid movements are the real plus point with this monitor arm and outclass the opposition in this category. The screen glides effortlessly and with fluidity. The purposeful touch is all that’s required. The screen tilt has great versatility, allowing not only regular up and down movement but a full 90° turn for portrait viewing. The cable management system does the job well enough, but we feel that fully covering the cables would have enhanced the overall sleek design.

Sustainability:

A spring instead of gas cylinder makes recycling painless. 37% of the materials used to create the EVO II are from recycled resources and 99% of the arm is recyclable and easily dissembled into separate parts after its life.

M2 – Humanscale

The next in our line-up is the M2 manufactured by Humanscale. The design team at Humanscale pride themselves on their design philosophy of functional form, human factors, timeless design and environmental sustainability. The award winning team of 17 international designers have produced another product which has quality written all over it.

Build:

Much like its competitor the Evo II, Humanscale’s M2 has a spring loaded action rather than the bulky gas system. The M2 monitor arm, manufactured from aluminium, steel and plastic almost borders on the industrial with its solid form and mechanical styling. Supports monitors up to 9kg approx.

The bump test:

A little bump of the rump to the side of the desk produced a little movement but nothing substantial.

Usability: 

This Dynamic arm can be a little tricky to manoeuvre to exactly where you would like and does not have the 90° screen rotation feature like other monitor arms. This could be viewed as an Achilles heel and maybe due to its sturdy build quality. However the M2’s ace card that it holds over the rest is the ability to push the monitor to the back of your desk by the arm folding up neatly to a parallel position, giving you maximum space when the screen is not needed.   A real plus is the integrated cable management which creates a neat finish, covering and clipping in all visible cables leaving no unwanted hanging or loose wires. The availability of several optional work surface clamps/fixings also makes this arm very user friendly. The M2 is by far the most aesthetically pleasing monitor support and if this was the Cruft’s of monitor arms, there would be no doubt that this would win best in show; all round good looks with heavy-duty build takes the prize.

Sustainability:

Engineered from 52% recycled content and 99% recyclable after use, the slim design of the M2 has called for fewer parts and a lot less manufacturing processes are needed to create this durable monitor arm.

Ascend – CMS Ergonomics

Last but certainly not least is the Ascend by CMS Ergonomics. The only one of our three arms that is a gas assisted device. However this does not compromise on this products looks or function.

Build:

Contemporary in looks and sturdy in build quality. The Ascend is a well-designed monitor support, with a range of features which have the end user in mind. The monitor has a gas assisted height adjustment and is made from mainly cast aluminium, steel and plastic. The cable management far surpasses the rest with neat cable channelling and keeps the wires tangle free and concealed, therefore not compromising the aesthetics of the design. Supports monitors up to 8kg approx.

The bump test:

A swift pendulum swing of my bottom creates no noticeable movement, especially when the various arm locks are all in action.

Usability:

A great feature of this product is the ability for the user to lock off positions of the screen and the ease of adjusting the arms tension with the simple twist of an Allen key (because you always have one next to your monitor!). Adjustable tilt is also a bonus with the ability to rotate the screen through 90°. Different optional extras are the real key for this arm with interchangeable desktop fittings, laptop and iPad mounts and also available as a double monitor arm for dual screen working.

Sustainability:

Unfortunately we were not given any stats by CMS to compare the Ascend monitor arm with the above monitors EVO II and M2, but the inclusion of a gas assist will make it a little more difficult to recycle. However over 90% of the Aluminium Alloy content is recycled and majority of the other parts should pose no problem when being disposed of in and ecological manor.

Final thoughts:

EVO II just beats the M2 as it is more fluid and easier to use.

The M2 is by far the most rigid and leans towards a most sexy desktop accessory.

The Ascend, as nice as it looks, loses due to the use of a gas lift and isn’t as fluid as its competitors.

All in all, they are all great for reclaiming desktop space and adding more ergonomics to your life.

P.s. No humans were hurt during the bump tests.

Ok granted it doesn’t stride around in a cape, wear pants outside its trousers and won’t be saving you from a runaway train anytime soon, but take my word for it when I tell you that this task chair will change your daily working life for the better.

True to its heritage, Interstuhl fit the renowned German precision engineering mould. The brand’s ethos for the chair is simple “You can sit however you want. Just sit on the right chair.” And that’s exactly the case here – with functions that allow you to shape the chair around your body at the effortless press and turn of a few switches, this task chair will in seconds become the ultimate in personal comfort.

Designed by Gerhard Reichert and Eckard Hansen, the Hero chair not only looks great but has 7 adjustable functions available to make it a perfect fit for every individual.  Like all hardened heroes, this chair’s soft and supportive side is hidden behind a sleek and slender exterior.

The Hero task chair is available in 8 different configurations, from high swivel chairs with headrests, to cantilever stackable visitor chairs offering greater diversity for your every need. The option of a mesh or fabric finish backrest is also an added bonus.

So let’s take a look at this crusader of the office world’s abundance of superpowers… It features automatic backrest tension, 4D armrests, height and depth adjustable headrest, inclining seat settings from front to back and variable lumber support options, all designed to rage war against the aches and pains of poor posture. This task seat is equipped to take on any bad day in the office with reassuring ease. Add to this its impressive green credentials (Hero is made from 40% recycled material, and on retirement, 98% can be recycled – statistics Captain Planet would envy) it can add a touch of the eco-warrior to its list.

In short, this chair would look great anywhere, whether your office is like the busy headquarters of the Daily Planet or your very own hi-tech Batcave.

The full range of Hero office chairs are available from Urban Office interiors.

Adam

Our new Basic reception desk with clean modern lines and vivid coloured accessories.

Basic

Thick melamine solid looking panels which are easily de-mountable create the main core of the reception desk.  Straight lines and accessories finish this simple yet stern looking counter.

Clip on

Accessorize!

Basic can be reconfigured in to a workstation cubicle type scenario or even systems room.

Basic desk

System Room

Read more.. Basic reception desk

A quick couple of snaps from the James range of contemporary wood office seating.

Aiken by James

Aiken twin chair by James

Lucan armchair by James

Lucan arm detail

Wingback armchair

Wingback double armchair

Just a quicky – the Spirit chair from Edge design team will feature at the 100% Design exhibition at Earls Court in London on stand C68.  100% Design opens on the 22nd to the 25th of September during the London Design Festival LDF

The Spirit chair is available upholstered or with a walnut outer shell.  Pop down to 100% Design next week and take it for a test drive.

Office acoustics and furniture design have been fused together more and more over the past couple of years with designers and manufacturers really pushing this topic. Whilst watching the rugby this morning, I thought I would try WordPress out on the trusty iPad and gather some interesting acoustic products to share with you. I hope this works!

Acoustic seating

Acoustic chairs create areas where you can relax and work without being distracted. When grouped together (example; one facing another), you can create a snug which can be used for meetings, team sessions or even a breakout zone.

Office screens

I decided to keep away from the boring normal acoustic office screens and post some nice contemporary screens. Office screens are primarily used as divides instead of office partitions. Desktop office screens are sometimes used as an extension of the desk with accessories or pinned up paper notes or simply to stop desk clutter falling off the back (you know who you are!). Over the last five years or so, more manufacturers have been using acoustic foams and other techniques to absorb travelling noise. Designs of screens have been improved and more variation and sound reducing products have been launched.

Acoustic pods

Demountable office pods and screens with integral ceilings are a growing trend in the UK. The designs allow you to change, move and expand the office pods should you need. The pods also allow you to “get around” many building regulations and also around your landlord as they require next to no fixing to any surfaces. If you haven’t seen a pod working yet, then let Urban Office know and we will point you in the right direction.

Other acoustics

There are so many new and interesting acoustic furniture products available to the UK and Europe that we are spoilt for choice. We can show them all here, but there is something available for everyone. Contact Urban Office Interiors for more products and information.

Quaranta5

The Quaranta5 office furniture system is based on the slab/panel end desk variation, something that Urban Office Interiors have mainly avoided in the past.  Generally the slab ended office furniture scene is either dull or structurally unsound. Obviously there are a handful of ranges that separate themselves from the drab offices of yesteryear! Quaranta5 joins the contemporary elite with a solid looking 28mm thick desktop and 45° edges.  Strength has also been a key factor for the Quaranta5, supported by a thick cable managed structure (including the panel end legs) and the rule of 45° ends =  no more drab wobbly desks..

Benching with panels

Panel end desks offer more privacy where desk end storage hasn’t been used to close one or both desk ends off.  The panel sides will offer more clean and minimal lines to most modern office environments and even more so when double bench desks are used. Yes, a panel end bench desk.

Teak desks - whats going on?

Even more rareness now.  Black and Teak have been added to the colour range.  Black desks are few and far between (for anything thats actually nice to look at) and teak! well, nobody emailed me about the teak office furniture revolution. I have to say, it actually really works here.  Possibly more for the executive office, the desk range can be mixed with the other ranges colours; black, white, grey and trusty oak which is again doing the rounds.

Quaranta5 black desk and teak furniture

To sum it all up, a really great looking office furniture system breaking the rules of the norm.  We like this and maybe, just maybe, you will too.

SAYL task chair

Urban Office Interiors has also been heavily involved in several larger projects since we last posted, such as the new B&Q head office in Eastleigh, where we designed and installed 15 training pod areas over 3 floors.  The installation only took 4 days in between a very, very busy and hectic site. During the same period, our fitting teams were running up and down to Lockheed Martin in the UK installing their new offices with desks and the highly prized Mirra task chair and Setu meeting chair from Herman Miller.  A smooth operation all around.  Last year, we were heavily involved in MITIE’s new head office with desks and again the Mirra task chair (if you haven’t already noticed – this is an amazing chair).  Inbetween these medium to large interior projects, we have been working on a bespoke reception for Brakes, acoustic office screens for Vivienne Westwood, a complete new contemporary office for Waterbabies (very nice office in Honiton, Devon) and acrylic office screens for NASA. So a busy year all around.

To top this off, we have employed yet another lovely chap called Adam.  Adam takes care of all our 3D photo realistic renders.  Welcome Adam.

3D design

Thats all for now, but I am going to post some updates shortly with all the lovely new modern office furniture products that you can see on our 2011 website, along with one or two that are not!!

Stay tuned..