Steelcase Link

The standard workplace model changed considerably post-COVID as offices transitioned to a hybrid work model. This shift presented a new challenge for office spaces: how the hybrid model would impact workplace collaboration. In 2023, the office furniture company Steelcase approached CSM with this challenge, seeking to understand what the future of workplace collaboration might look like in light of the hybrid work model. This brief prompted us to explore the diverse and often conflicting agendas of companies and their employees. Employees sought greater individual freedom, while companies aimed to foster stronger collaboration within their teams.

Our research revealed that the physical office remained valuable, with time spent collaborating in person becoming even more critical. As team members increasingly worked on independent, asynchronous schedules, aligning their availability became more difficult. To address this, we designed adaptable and flexible workplace elements that cater to both individual needs and collaborative team dynamics. A key aspect of our design was ensuring that office spaces could swiftly adjust to meet the shifting demands of the future workplace. Our solution, Link, was designed to enable rapid reconfiguration of physical workspaces. It was designed to be easily transformed into desk spaces, meeting tables, or coffee tables, accommodating diverse and everyday working needs seamlessly.