A room in a room

Challenge

The open-plan office characterises the working life of many Danes today. We are accustomed to being able to see and hear our colleagues around us, but there is debate about the benefits and disadvantages of open-office environments.1 COVID-19 has brought a new perspective into the discussion: the risk of infection. New research indicates that crowded openoffice environments can pose a significant risk of infection for the people who work in them.2/3 And while the trend is moving towards smaller offices, there is a need for good solutions to the acute infection challenge within existing open-plan offices. While the Danish Working Environment Authority (Arbejdstilsynet) has laid out guidelines for employers to prevent the risk of infection in office environments4, architects and designers have thrown themselves into the question of how the interior design of offices can help us keep our distance and increase hygiene in the workplace.

Solution

Koshitsu-Dana is a system of mobile partition modules that can be assembled into small, closed-off spaces around one or more workstations in an office. The partitions can be quickly set up and taken down, and their smooth surface makes them easy to clean after use. Koshitsu-Dana has been designed as a consumer product and can be purchased online.

The example shows how interventions can be made playful and accessible, and how restrictions such as distance requirements can be made visible using furnishing.

Taxonomy

Sphere: The Workplace, Timescale: Tactical

Type: Interior Design

User Group: Employees/Service Providers

Koshitsu-Dana quickly and easily create room divisions in open-plan offices

Project and location: Shoe Pull, Nottingham, England

Contributor: Philip Watts Design

Established: June 2020