That’s what PSFK pondered recently in a post by Scott Lachut who reports that the PFSK Consulting Team has “noticed that office furniture and equipment is being designed with modularity and flexibility in mind, allowing spaces to be customized in the moment to suit the immediate needs of employees.”

“These designs can shift to accommodate solo work spaces or be expanded into larger arrangements for team meetings, giving workers the option of changing the office environment to match their current work style,” he continues. Examples include Steelcase’s Campfire Screens, which are semi-transparent, corner-shaped dividers that can be used to delineate a temporary “room” in an open area, and Buzzispace’s modular solutions, which the company claims create an “acoustic cocoon” that cuts through chatter and offers privacy in noisy open spaces. There’s even an inflatable semi-circle room from Office in a Bucket that Lachut says, “inflates within eight minutes.”

Lachut suggests several ways these types of innovative furnishings might suit current office reality by, for example, by balancing the need for collaboration-encouraging openness with the need for “speech privacy.” But is anyone actually putting the modular office idea into practice in the real world? Boulder, Colorado-based project management tools company Rally Software is one early adopter. The company recently explained to Inc.com how their R&D division designed their own office. Steve Stolt, a product-line manager in the R&D organization, told Inc about his department’s move to new premises:

The folks in R&D knew exactly what they wanted: flexibility. The tough part about space planning, typically, is dealing with the constraints: walls, power and network hardlines. To solve the walls problem, we decided to have “t-walls” built. These are “T” shaped walls on wheels. They come in a variety of different heights, and some have transparent portions like windows, while others have white boards built in. We chose these because someone had seen something similar at the Stanford d.school. To handle the power and network challenges, we ran power grids on the ceiling. These grids allow us to drop a power line anywhere we need it. We also use these grids to run network hard lines. Our desks and chairs are all fairly portable as well.

On move-in day, our desks, chairs and computers were there, carefully piled in the corner. We also had our t-walls and power grids ready to go. Remember when you built forts as a kid? That’s pretty much what this was like. The R&D teams love the new space.

Interested in more ideas on how offices design is shifting to accommodate the future of work? Check out MIT Technology Review‘s gallery of innovative offices for a more mobile and collaborative workforce.

Could a modular approach work for your office?

Image courtesy of Buzzispace.

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Personal tools lead to practical business
• Millennials in the enterprise, part 1: strategies for supporting the new digital workforce
• A 2011 NewNet Forecast

Unlike traditional cubicle designs that are static and discourage interaction, the Beta is a flexible furniture system that merges formal and informal working areas. It’s modular, and designed around “backbones” that carry cables and keep electrical and data infrastructure out of sight. The system is designed to encourage knowledge sharing, but it still allows for privacy, unlike a totally open-plan office. The layout can easily be reconfigured to suit an individual’s working style, and the Beta is also recyclable (good news for those looking for more eco-friendly office furniture).

Found an innovative office furniture solution? Tell us about it in the comments.

Related GigaOM Pro content (sub. req.): The Smart Energy Home

Images courtesy Tecno

(via core77)

Chairs

Herman Miller has made a name for itself with its sustainable, environmentally-friendly products that feature award-winning design. Proving that you can have the best of best worlds, the company has married functional, beautiful design with high standards for recyclability, minimal packaging, and minimal waste. The much ballyhooed (and quite pricey) Aeron is not the only chair they make with environmental sustainability in mind. The Celle, Embody, Cetu and Mirra are also Cradle-to-Cradle Gold and Silver certified by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), the global sustainability consulting and product certification firm.

Steelcase is another company that’s focused on producing high-design furniture to strict sustainability standards. In fact, its Think chairs are 99 percent recyclable, made of 44 percent recycled material, and were the first product to receive Cradle-to-Cradle certification from MBDC. It also has a number of of Silver-certified products, like the Siento, Move, Leap and Amia chairs, that are made of recycled material and are recyclable themselves.

While Herman Miller and Steelcase are well-known brands in the eco-friendly furniture business, these companies aren’t the only ones. Haworth‘s Zody chair is Gold certified by MBDC, and the company also has a range of other seating products – like its Improv and LOOK chairs — that boast environmental and sustainability ratings. Also check out Allsteel’s Acuity Chair, Keilhauer‘s Simple chair, and Orangebox‘s ARA chair.

You can find reader recommendations of products with green credentials in our previous posts “New Year, New Chair?” and “Which Office Chair to Buy?.”

Desks

Steelcase also makes environmentally-responsible desks. Its Walden and Garland private office product lines meet MBDC, BIFMA sustainability and SCS indoor air quality standards. Not to be outdone, Herman Miller has produced its Intent furniture line, which is currently undergoing the certification process.

Knoll makes wood office furniture with 100 percent recycled plywood, like its Reff line. Its GreenGuard certified products are made using water-based adhesives and virtually VOC-free sealants. They are also available with FSC-certified veneers and composite wood cores. Legaré‘s Sustainable line features sustainable bamboo and eco-friendly finishes. Best of all, its furniture assembles without the use of tools, screws or bolts.

Shopping Sources

Online retailers are a great source for eco-friendly furniture. Sites like EcoWork, Eco-Furniture and Vivali offer a range of green furniture (desks, chairs, and storage units) from a number of manufacturers. Just be sure to check out the environmental credentials of each piece to avoid greenwashed products. Customers can also order online from other retailers for Herman Miller, Steelcase, or direct from Legaré.

Of course, the best stewardship of scarce resources comes from reusing them. Buying used furniture not only saves the planet, it saves money. Look for used office furniture on eBay, craigslist or the US government’s surplus equipment auction site. Thrift stores and yard sales are great places to pick up quality furniture locally for a fraction of the price. Feeling handy? Get creative with do-it-yourself solutions for your home office, like this stand-up desk or a desk made from salvaged doors.

What have you found to be the best options for eco-friendly office furniture?

Trenton DuVal has managed the online communications efforts of nonprofits focused on creating a more sustainable, just and equitable world since 2005. His varied experiences living and working on five continents have included professional gold farming, crossing the Atlantic by sailboat, a few meals with Nobel Laureates and a tragic run-in with a three-toed sloth.

Related GigaOM Pro content (sub. req.): The Smart Energy Home

Photo by Flickr user nimbu, licensed under CC 2.0

Lindo Fully Adjustable

This chair is fully adjustable, including the lumbar support, but at £170 ($250) it’s also quite expensive. It has great Amazon reviews, but is it worth the price?

Ryman High Back Mesh Chair

Doesn’t look to be as adjustable as the Lindo chair. Nor does it have stellar Amazon reviews, but it costs much less — £60.

Lincoln Black Leather Office Chair

I quite like the idea of a leather chair, and this one is adjustable and reasonably priced at £90, but I’m not sure that they’re all that practical compared to mesh chairs.

IKEA Jerrik Chair

The most expensive chair on my list at £230. Adjustable, with lumbar support. I’m going to go test out this chair at the IKEA store this weekend.

A Fit Ball

One of my colleagues in Australia used to sit on a fit ball at work which, apparently, helped with his back problems. Have you tried replacing your office chair with a fit ball? How long did it take to get used to it, and did it help to alleviate back problems?

That’s my current shortlist. Any other suggestions that I should be looking at?

Some companies already have policies in place to reimburse telecommuting employees for high-speed Internet access. While there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to get a similar reimbursement for office furniture, there is rarely any harm in asking. If you can make it part of your initial negotiations in a move to telecommuting, you may have a better chance of convincing your employer to give you at least part of the money towards your new office equipment. Thinking outside of the box can make that money stretch, as well. A set sum of money that might only pay for half of a brand new chair will go further if you purchase that chair used.

If your employer isn’t willing to help you out with money towards new furniture, there still may be a way to make the purchase less expensive. Some companies make a practice of selling off old office furniture and equipment they no longer need. If your employer fits into that category, you may be able to get a deal. You may even be able to buy the desk you used to use at the office! Loans of office furniture are less common, although companies that sign out computer equipment may be more willing to consider signing out a desk as well. Another option is to find out where your employer purchases office furniture. If you work for a larger company, you may find that it already has a standing agreement to buy office furniture for less than you can on your own, simply because it buys chairs and desks on a regular basis. Even being able to buy through your company’s supplier can cut your costs.

Unfortunately, not all telecommuters will be able to get their employers to help with office furniture costs. However, it’s worth a try, especially when you realize that even an inexpensive desk will top a hundred dollars.

Share your cost-cutting office outfitting tips below.

Image by Flickr user William Hook

Related research and analysis from GigaOM Pro:
Subscriber content. Sign up for a free trial.

• Personal tools lead to practical business
• Millennials in the enterprise, part 1: strategies for supporting the new digital workforce
• The Future of Work Platforms: An Overview