Two Industry Leaders Collaborate to Improve Workplace Wellness and Productivity by Harnessing Expert Research and Market Expertise
West Elm Workspace with Inscape, the brand celebrated for bringing its
residential sensibility to the modern office space, has partnered with
world-renowned design firm Gensler to introduce the Conduit System,
an innovative office system offering flexibility and choice in its
configurable solutions. The debut of the Conduit System at NeoCon 2017
demonstrates West Elm and Gensler’s commitment to collaboratively
harness their industry leading research and market expertise to meet the
needs of the changing workplace ecology.
“The Conduit System is a truly flexible office solution that addresses
today’s workplace trends by creating unique user experiences and
combining functionality with warmth and versatility,” said Catherine
Schwartz, senior vice president of West Elm Workspace. “It has been an
exciting opportunity to partner with Gensler and tap into their expert
knowledge of workplace design and ‘in the field’ experience.”
“From our initial conversations with West Elm it was clear that we
shared a vision that held game-changing opportunities for the
workplace,” said Andy Cohen, Gensler’s co-CEO. “Because our design
solutions are rooted in our industry-leading global
workplace research, we can deliver designs that support how people
do their best, most productive work at the office.”
A cornerstone of the Conduit System’s development was the comprehensive
research findings from Gensler’s proprietary series of global workplace
surveys including the 2016
U.S. Workplace Survey and West Elm Workspace’s research directed by
Plastarc, a social research and design consultancy. Gensler’s Workplace
Surveys found that individual control of one’s workspace—no matter how
open—is a key contributor to employee satisfaction, performance and
innovation. Concurrently, West Elm Workspace’s research identified the
need to address the total well-being of today’s office employee,
creating environments and product solutions that benefit the worker’s
physical, emotional and psychological well-being.
The Conduit System is the realization of this research – distinctive
residential sensibility that meets stringent commercial standards. With
the Conduit System, West Elm Workspace and Gensler have landed upon
unique design elements and features including:
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Flexibility: The ultimate space planning solution, Conduit
System allows organizations and individuals to create environments for
both concentrated work and cross-functional collaboration and
congregation. The system provides options to help clients temper
visual and sound disturbances in this age of the open office plan.
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Configurability: Its highly configurable components allow
businesses to design branching systems with versatile work zones as
well as the ability to reconfigure the same product suite into
traditional benching layouts with ease.
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Residential Sensibility: A unique combination of mixed
materials offer choice in a variety of styles and design
aesthetics—from brass detailing with modern influences to a spectrum
of fabrics, textiles and work surfaces in both laminate and veneer.
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Power: The wholly integrated Power Wall helps create workspaces
untethered from fixed power alternatives while a robust electrical
connection under the work surface minimizes the number of plugs
running to the wall from the desk. The Power Wall’s top rail serves as
a universal bracket system that allows the Conduit System to grow and
change over time with the addition of accessories such as shelves,
lighting and coat racks.
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Enhancements: Integrated enhancements permit customization such
as freestanding carrels that create zones for concentration without
posing a visual distraction. The carrel allows users to focus on work
near his or her desk with the option to move it to another location,
putting the user in control of their work environment. Additional
enhancements include height adjustable work surfaces and privacy
screens that address a user’s desire to personalize his or her
workstation.
The complete Conduit System will be on view at NeoCon 2017 in Chicago
June 12-14 at the West Elm Workspace with Inscape showroom #11-91
(Merchandise Mart). A temporary offsite location near the Mart, 444 W
Lake Street, Flr 47, will offer a comprehensive look at the West Elm
Workspace with Inscape 2017 products and solutions. For more information
on the West Elm Workspace with Inscape and Gensler Conduit System visit westelmworkspace.com
and follow @westelmworkspace
on Instagram.
About West Elm
Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY since 2002, West Elm opened its first
store in DUMBO, the neighborhood it still proudly calls home. With a
mission of harnessing the power of design and human connection to enrich
lives, everything West Elm does is designed to make an impact in
everyday life, from creating unique, affordable designs for modern
living and commitment to Fair Trade Certified, from LOCAL and
handcrafted products to community-driven collaborations and events. The
brand operates 99 retail stores in the United States, Australia, Canada
and the UK, ships internationally to customers around the world and
operates stores in Mexico, the Middle East and Philippines through
unaffiliated franchisees. In addition to home furnishings retail, West
Elm operates West Elm Workspace in the commercial furnishings industry
and announced its expansion into the travel and hospitality industry
with the launch of West Elm Hotels. West Elm publishes the blog
Front+Main and is part of an active community on Facebook, Instagram,
Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube. West Elm is a member of the
Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands.
About Inscape
Inscape, an award-winning designer and manufacturer of office furniture,
has been initiating change in workspace design for the past 125 years.
With an emphasis on quality, innovation, technical design and
unparalleled delivery and service, Inscape has been consistently awarded
for its design, including 4 Gold and 1 Silver Best of NeoCon Awards at
NeoCon 2014, North America's largest design exposition and conference
for commercial interiors. Inscape collaborates with leading European
partners and manufactures their designs in North American facilities.
Their systems, storage, seating and wall solutions delight users, foster
agility and empower technology in the workplace. Flexible and designed
for sustainability, Inscape products enable easy customization and
readily adapt to keep pace with changing needs in the workplace. For
more information visit inscapesolutions.com
About Gensler
Gensler
is a global architecture, design and planning firm with 44 locations and
more than 5,000 professionals networked across Asia, Europe, Australia,
the Middle East and the Americas. Founded in 1965, the firm serves more
than 3,500 active clients in virtually every industry. Gensler designers
strive to make the places people live, work and play more inspiring,
more resilient and more impactful.
