Context
Business is preparing a return to work as part of a gradual easing of lockdown. Adapting existing workplace is part of such a preparation and may include:
Reduced Occupancy Density; removing chairs and spreading workspaces so people are at least 2m apart;
Modified Furniture layouts; re-orienting workstations away to reduce sitting face-to-face without a barrier;
Added Separation; adding screens or panels when minimum 2m can’t be achieved.
Returning employees will be facing a challenge with regard to their physical health but also feel the mental stress of coping with an unprecedented set-up. Employers will want to comply with Health & Safety guidance and, beyond that, make their staff as comfortable and relaxed as possible.
Modelling of spread of particles
Concept
BOX office®️ is a personal screen device that doubles up as a personal space and cocooning environment. Its key features are:
Desk-based panel construction
Protective screen acting as a barrier to the spread of droplets
Personal storage
Decorative and expressive of personal identity
Laptop shelf
Mood LED lighting
iPhone charging station
Antimicrobial easily cleanable surfaces
It is a self-assembly flat-pack panel-based unit, using laser-cut Palboard, a recycled and recyclable co-extruded multilayer PVC sheet. BOX office®️ is equipped with basic features that improve desk work, such as SAD lighting, an ergonomically raised laptop shelf and phone charging station. Occupying only a portion of desk, the unit is able to double up on a 1600 x 800mm desk so as to create two workstations facing each other.
An oasis that has therapeutic value, it was developed in collaboration with behavioural psychologists and responds to the need for privacy in the open plan, offering a personal space that supports self-confidence and allowing for the expression of personality through self-customisation.
To prevent a feeling of claustrophobia, a skylight is inserted; this allows a view in and out while also increasing ambient lighting at the workstation. The skylight is made of clear acrylic but coloured decorative Decals could also be applied. The compositional effect is that of an urban skyline; as units are gradually customised this will add personality and variety to the workplace.
Initial sketch studies showing different options
Me Space
The new acronym WFH - "Working From Home" - has become part of our everyday vocabulary. What lies behind it can be elusive as it’s not only working or studying that we are busy with at home. Many of us are required to juggle the different roles of colleague, partner, parent, spouse and roommate, not on an hourly but, in some cases, on a minute-by-minute basis. In this environment individual personal workspace is not only desirable but crucial in maintaining boundaries.
BOX office®️ is not only a place where you can work but a place you can make your own. It is a space that you can customise to best align with your personality. The physical product provides an opportunity for self-expression, whether you like it minimalistic and distraction-free or prefer to go all out and turn it into a work of art. Having this sense of agency about one’s working environment is very important. Some of us have their own home office but so many are forced to navigate the limited space available in the rented flats and houses to that we share with others in order to carve out a place of work. BOX office®️ is light, fully portable and collapsible so that we can take it with us, establishing an instant workspace in any indoor or outdoor setting we happen to “colonise”.
BOX office®️ also delivers an educational platform for people to learn how to navigate the world around them when it comes to balancing work and home in the same environment. Personality Specialists, Nikita Mikhailov and Olga Vysotska will be supporting BOX office®️ with basic ergonomic and general wellbeing tips about WFH, based on guidelines issued by the British Psychological Society.
Finally, BOX office®️ offers a sense of belonging to a community of other "Off-BOX-ers”. Using social media platforms and hashtags - #yourownbox - users will be able to share pictures of their work settings and take inspiration from one another.
“One of our most basic psychological needs is to create a home, that is a space that is decorated in such a way as to reflect our values back to us. That's why we can legitimately get so excited (or distressed) by matters of home decoration - and why, after too long on the road, we long to get back to our own place.” Click below to see a film from the School of Life about the Psychology of Objects and Spaces.
Working from Home with BOX office®️
Assembly
Assembly requires no tools and is easy and fast, using popper buttons. Make sure clear head of popper button is on external visible side of panel. Follow the illustrated sequence to assemble Main Body and Gable Box. Each component requires no more than 15-20 minutes to assemble without any tools. Once assembled:
Position and secure onto desk using provided Velcro Pads;
Hook Gable Box onto Main Body;
Insert Small Drawer under Laptop Shelf;
Connect Power cable to activate light
Installation sequence for Main Body, Gable Box and Small Drawer
Self-Customisation
BOX office®️ is made of recycled and recyclable Palboard white board. Finishes are up to you. You are free to decorate as you please, using vinyl decals and stencilled paint patterns, which you may order online from a vast available selection. Taking time to apply self-adhesive patterns, paint using stencils or even create your own images, can reduce stress and anxiety while increasing energy and focus.
This can be done individually or in group.
Paint: We recommend chalk paint and acrylic paint, which adheres well to the board. You may buy paint pots and stencil brushes and rollers from: https://www.anniesloan.com/annie-sloan-products/chalk-paint
Stencils: We recommend you tape the stencils of your choice to the assembled box before applying paint with your stencil brush, but it is also possible to do so before assembly. Allow paint to dry between coats of paint. Stencils can be used multiple times; we recommend you pool with colleagues to buy them so that you may share them. You may buy stencils in a variety of sizes and designs from: https://www.thestencilstudio.com/collections
Vinyls: Furniture decals are available in a number of exciting finishes and patterns and can be ordered to the size you require. Where you apply them is up to you. Application is simple, using a spatula to iron out air bubbles. Allow a relaxed morning or afternoon to fit vinyls to all panels. You may also order a https://www.tenstickers.co.uk/ideal-for/funiture/
Other: There is nothing stopping you from decorating in other ways, for instance spray-painting. A craft shop near you will provide all necessary equipment and material. Why not set up a competition amongst yourselves for the best decoration? Your imagination is the only limit...
Self-Decorating of BOX office®️ is easy and fun
For sale enquiries contact Dino Pase at Spiralis Europe at dino@Spiraliseurope.com or on +44 (0)20 3764 5151