The thoughts of Massimo Gianquitto on the 2024 edition of the Cologne office furniture fair.
Orgatec 2024: The Return of the Office Furniture Fair
Orgatec has long been the leading event for the design and workplace industry, drawing exhibitors and visitors from around the globe. This year showcased sustainable and flexible solutions that reflect the evolving, dynamic nature of workplaces — spaces that are increasingly modular and adaptable to meet the changing needs of today’s workforce. The 2024 edition highlighted multifunctional furnishings, eco-friendly materials, and integrated technology, aiming to sketch out the vision for the workplace of the future, though the picture remains somewhat unclear.
Massimo Gianquitto’s Impressions
It’s challenging to offer an impartial assessment of Orgatec 2024, which felt somewhat scaled-down, marked by the absence of numerous Italian brands (like Unifor, Frezza, Estel, ICF) and major American and European names such as Steelcase, Herman Miller, Vitra, and Knoll. These companies have traditionally been trendsetters, sparking conversation with their visionary proposals for the office environment.
In contrast, there was a significant presence of Eastern brands, relegated to less crowded, isolated pavilions compared to the more prominent spaces along the Boulevard, where well-known brands were concentrated. However, it’s not only the quantitative aspect that affects the evaluation, but rather the imbalance in originality and lack of diversity among the offerings. There seems to be an absence of a cohesive vision for the sector.
It’s difficult to discern any new model of workplace organization through the vast array of products displayed. To an outsider, the prevalence of chairs, sofas, armchairs, and tables arranged in lounge and informal meeting zones might suggest that the concept of work has become a relic of the analog era, now reduced to a shadow of its former self.
Is the Office Really Becoming a Social Club?
The post-pandemic years, marked by the surge in remote work, seem to have all but dismantled traditional office structures, transforming them into spaces of social interaction rather than productivity, where desks, cabinets, and storage units are rarely used, and all data is stored in the cloud.
Personally, I tackled this concept of offices as “Social Clubs” in a lecture at the Salone del Mobile, emphasizing that the office remains the operational hub, the heart of a company, where much of the actual work happens — not merely a space for occasional social gatherings and exchange.
So, what does the future of work look like? Perhaps it resembles a “knowledge factory,” where the workspace becomes a center for theoretical learning, where workers learn their trade, perform tasks, and broaden their knowledge and skills.
The office and factory are places where practical instruction is intertwined with theoretical knowledge, where workers engage in organizational and industrial processes, and where technique is never divorced from theory. It’s a space of continuous experimentation, where today is simply a transition to tomorrow’s achievements.
Pictures by Massimo Gianquitto