Microsoft has visualised your next design studio
Microsoft has teamed up with furniture designer Steelcase to imagine the workplace of tomorrow.
Last year Microsoft released its all-in-one desktop PC and digital canvas, the Surface Studio. Positioned as the Windows rival to the iMac, the Surface Studio came armed with new tools like the Surface Dial that aimed to change how designers work.
This wasn't enough innovation for Microsoft though, and it's teamed up with office furniture designer Steelcase to imagine a Surface-powered office of the future. If you're used to working from home, perhaps the video showcasing one of these 'Creative Spaces' (above) could coax you back into an in-house position? Or do you just need to give your studio a biophilic design makeover? (See Computer Arts' guide to learn how to run a thriving design studio).
Seeing as it's a concept film from Microsoft, the video is a slightly too perfect vision of how corporate offices work. But if you sift through the motivational music and tune out when people repeat the words "innovation" and "creativity", there are some interesting ideas on the table.
These include isolated work pods and tables that change position to meet the demands of the Surface Studio. Given that working in a creative industry requires a different pace and environment to your regular office job, it makes sense that a workspace should be flexible to meet artistic demands.
The Creative Spaces might be a step too far many, but for top studios and agencies they're definitely something to consider. Either way, they're a smart idea from Microsoft that sneakily puts its products at the centre of creative offices.
Related articles:
- 21 incredibly cool design office murals
- Inspirational office boasts a century's worth of creative history
- You'd change jobs just to work in these cool offices
Get the Creative Bloq Newsletter
Daily design news, reviews, how-tos and more, as picked by the editors.
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Dom Carter is a freelance writer who specialises in art and design. Formerly a staff writer for Creative Bloq, his work has also appeared on Creative Boom and in the pages of ImagineFX, Computer Arts, 3D World, and .net. He has been a D&AD New Blood judge, and has a particular interest in picture books.