Remote Control

As traditional offices become a thing of the past, Sleeper takes a look at the products serving an emerging class of remote workers in hotel co-working spaces.

Even before the Coronavirus crisis saw the world undertake the great remote office experiment of 2020, the workplace was in a state of flux. The US workforce alone counts some 57.3 million freelancers amongst its ranks according to a survey by Freelancing in America, whilst a similar census by the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) showed that freelance growth in the UK, France and the Netherlands throughout 2018 outpaced overall employment rates.

If these trends continue, a number of developed countries will be on target to hit the 50% mark within the coming decade. As remote capabilities flourish, and the world finds its feet post-COVID-19, millions more workers will find themselves no longer tethered to the office.

Whilst the fall of WeWork signalled to some that the coworking model might simply be a passing trend, this should not be considered as an indicator. Once the dust settles, and the emergent creative class becomes even larger through the knock-on effects of the crisis, they will require a place to work, away from the distractions of home life.

In recent years, the co-working concept that sees space

dedicated for such workers has found a home in the world of hospitality, as valuable assets of hotels. Many projects that have graced these pages have boasted facilities set aside – and often specifically designed – to be occupied by a city’s freelancers. Tryp by Wyndham in Dubai has its own branded effort in The Nest; Moxy hotels across the USA are designed with fluid lite-offices that switch between modern workspace and chic after-hours hangout; and Copenhagen’s Audo – a hotel-showroom-workspace hybrid – took home AHEAD Europe’s New Concept award in 2019.

It is not so much a trend but a logical next step. The hotel business centre was once ubiquitous, predating much of the freelance revolution and perhaps unknowingly before its time. In the coming years, expect almost every hotel that has the capacity to – and probably also some that don’t – to adopt the model.

The workspace of the future will look a lot different as it becomes integrated with the wider trends of hotel design, but these products and interior touches could prove the selling point for an incoming crowd of remote workers with discerning taste.

Clockwise from top left: Muuto’s Stacked storage system; Plenum by Jaime Hayon for Fritz Hansen; the Workspace collection from Ethicraft; the 360 Divide screen by Burgess; Table Place Chairs’ Co-create table; adapted Line tables by Craster at Hotel Lutetia

ADD IT TO THE STACK Whilst the open-plan versus cubicle debate rages on, we can all agree that no matter the space, storage is a necessity. Regardless of where and how we work, cluttered spaces encourage bad habits, and be it lockers, baskets or shelves, our workspaces should be as easy to organise as our desktops. Muuto’s Stacked is a dynamic solution; the customisable system comprises shelves, sideboards, bookcases and side tables that can be formed into modular arrangements to suit both the environment’s requirements and the volume of loose items. Adaptable and easily snapped together, Stacked can help keep creative juices flowing too; users can compose the modules to their preference and truly take control of their working environment.

FLEXI-TIME Designed with the shifting workplace culture in mind, Ethnicraft’s Workspace collection responds to the combination of wellbeing, mobility and flexibility desired by today’s workers. The adjustable Bok desk – a motorised system affording control of height – encourages good posture, and facilitates both standing and seated use, whilst the complementary Osso bar stool can be adjusted to match and is again designed to encourage healthy sitting habits. The Rise side table, meanwhile, features a tabletop wireless charger, integrated into the surface for a clean aesthetic.

DO NOT DISTURB Designed by Jaime Hayon, Plenum is a highbacked sofa from Fritz Hansen, crafted around values of collaboration, concentration and relaxation. The distinctive profile offers a semiprivate space that provides workers a moment of quiet in a busy, open-plan space. Suited for teams of one, two or three, upholstery in polyester and polyurethane foam materials can withstand repeated use and high traffic, whilst the presence of USB ports, power plugs and mounted or separate tables means Plenum can be an office in itself.

LET’S MEET At Paris’ Hotel Lutetia, Craster’s Line Tables were adapted to suit the project’s conferencing and events spaces whilst aesthetically responding to historic Art Nouveau forms. Channelling the style of original architect Louis-Charles Boileau, Craster’s minimalist Line system in black marble and steel both contrasts and complements the wider palette of pale honey. Specified as part of the hotel’s US$234 million renovation, the standard Line range features a series of accessories from modesty panels to cable management sleeves.

WORK/PLAY BALANCE In modern working environments, privacy is often a pressing issue, and with the rise of open-plan spaces, new means of creating uninterrupted moments have become increasingly important. The 360 Divide screen by Burgess has been designed by Dave Hill to do just that – intended as a way to create distinctive zones of privacy without sacrificing connection to the wider environment. Available in four shapes, the screen can spin a full rotation on its elliptical steel base, whilst the foam-clad wooden frame aids in noise reduction.

DESK LIFE Bringing together desk, storage and distinctive design, Norr11’s JFK desk is a reimagining of the classic 1960s office desk often used by the titular POTUS. Featuring three inbuilt drawers of 4cm – ideal for today’s laptops and paper stock – each has a small, knurl-textured knob in reference to retro radio dials. Though the desk’s original run may have been decidedly analogue, the Nor11 update sees a classic black ash or palisander tabletop paired with a smart design facilitating power distributors and smartphone charging.

COLLABORATIVE EFFORT A simple, structural, sharing table concept, Table Place Chairs’ Co-create table has been designed to empower communities and groups. Featuring interchangeable legs and customisable tabletops, the unit can be powered up with charging spots, power blocks, cable management systems and lamps. Co-create is crafted from a sustainable mix of metal, wood and recycled materials.

RETURN OF THE SCREEN Largely phased out in modern workspaces, the screen and interior office partition may soon make a comeback in a post-COVID world where social distancing is the new norm. Isomi’s Wellness Screens have been designed to facilitate a return to public workspaces, offering a solution for settings where physical distance may not be viable. The range comprises four designs in a solid-surface, non-porous material, offering a flexible solution that can be relocated as requirements change.

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