Vitra launches adaptable Hack desk by Konstantin Grcic
German designer Konstantin Grcic has created a utilitarian flat-pack office system for Vitra featuring desks that can be turned into sofas (+ slideshow).
Called Hack, the raw-looking range has been designed as an alternative to traditional office furniture, allowing users to "hack" their own configuration.
It is made from rectangular oriented strand board (OSB) panels that slot into metal brackets, allowing the desk surface to be raised or lowered to allow users to work sitting or standing.
The panels can also be reconfigured to create sofas.
Swiss manufacturer Vitra said the range was aimed at tech companies wanting flexible solutions that appealed to young workers.
"To attract young university graduates, companies must offer an appealing, practical and creative work environment while also being able to respond to dynamic changes in their office structures," Vitra said.
"Hack is a table system that anticipates the requirements of companies and employees – a provocative solution that can be understood as a 'hack' of the office environment."
Vitra said the rough-and-ready aesthetic was designed to appeal to startups.
"With its raw wooden panels, Hack presents an unfinished aesthetic at first glance, like a snapshot of an experimental project under development," it said.
"The system reflects the attitude of companies that similarly define themselves in terms of constant change."
The range is a departure for the company, which usually produces high-end products for the home and office.
Vitra has recently collaborated with designers including Jasper Morrison, Hella Jongerius and the Bouroullec brothers on furniture.
Office furniture was a theme at this year's Clerkenwell Design Week, where several alternative solutions for interiors and flexible workspaces were showcased.
Dutch brand Proof designed plush leaning posts to encourage workers to recline while they meet, and Herman Miller unveiled a collection of chairs with a flexible seat to accommodate fidgety sitters.
Hack made its debut as a concept at Cologne trade fair Orgatec in 2014, and is now available to order in the UK.