K2 Space was at the Orgatec exhibition in Cologne in October, which saw the emergence of furniture products that encourage movement.
With a demand for loose furniture to be colourful, flexible and fun, one innovation that ticks all the boxes is Stand-Up a hybrid standing and sitting stool.
“Stand-Up’s all about encouraging casual meetings, group dynamics and creativity. The product was based on a one-legged milking stool that can be tipped in any direction.” explains German manufacturer Wilkhahn.
“When sitting on them, people turn these one-legged into three-legged objects. So they’re honing their balancing skills and activating the muscles in their backs, shoulders and necks, as well as hip, knee and ankle joints.”
Stand-Up is ideal for informal breakout areas or lobbies and can be picked up and moved so become useful in formal open plan office environments with Wilkhahn adding: “Movement benefits our bodies, minds and the way we interact with other people. Case studies show that a wide range of frequent motion makes us more alert, more communicative and productive than people who just sit still.”
Stand-Up’s available from November in standard colours of red, black, light blue, orange and green. Another interesting loose furniture product that encourages movement is Ballo, which Humanscale will launch next year.