The topic links back to the study of the relationship between analogue and digital within the inhabited space and the observation of the lifestyles of the new generations that have been the subject of the previous exhibitions curated by the magazine Elle Decor Italia, ‘Soft Home’ (2016) and ‘ONLIFE Millennials at Home’ (2018). The Elle Decor at Work. The Evolution of Workspace exhibition/installation is produced in collaboration with DWA Design Studio (exhibition design), AKQA (interaction design) and Marco Bay (landscape design).
“The technological revolution of recent decades has not only introduced new working tools, collaboration interfaces and ways to share. Its main role has been to turn work from a repetitive, predictable operation into an experiential, changeable process, thereby requiring the adaptation of the areas dedicated to it. In a scenario in which individual autonomy and a sense of a shared culture have become key factors, we have observed the progressive configuration of offices as diversified, flexible containers in which to experiment with different spatial options in order to isolate oneself or work together, accumulate or share knowledge. Furthermore, we have learned about the progressive aggregation of functions related to wellbeing, leisure and retail, increasingly blurring the boundaries between the professional and private sphere, from both a spatial and temporal point of view,” explains Livia Peraldo Matton, editor-in-chief of Elle Decor Italia.
In the setting of Palazzo Bovara, a historic building in the heart of Milan, Elle Decor Italia has created an immersive installation that knows how to convey both the complexity and the variety of changes taking place in the office world, reflecting a revolution that is not only spatial, but also mental, cultural and social. The route of the Elle Decor at Work. The Evolution of Workspace exhibition/ installation takes the form of a sequence of rooms on the main floor of the building, culminating in the indoor garden: a succession of eight environments, animated by digital presences and interactive experiences and designed to tell the story of concepts and ways of experiencing the workplace with a forward-looking vision.
The Gate, the starting point of the exhibition, welcomes visitors with an interactive digital installation that records their presence in an imaginative way, entertaining and identifying them. This first environment immediately offers us a compass through which we explore the world of Elle Decor at Work.
The Hub, immediately after The Gate, is the area designed for shared work, modern coworking where everyone, as an individual, is part of a community. The atmosphere infuses a sense of visual comfort. Above the workstations, lush green presences, part of the greenery project by landscape architect Marco Bay, share the room to improve the microclimate and contribute to emotional wellbeing.
A small coffee area leads to the third moment, The Exchange, where three solutions are presented for holding meetings, ranging from the most informal (with sofas, armchairs and chairs) to the most advanced (with “standing” stations), through to the most futuristic (a virtual meeting room with advanced system for conference call) where, while wearing VR visors, visitors can immerse themselves in a virtual workspace in which they can interact with their colleagues and people around the world.
The route continues with The Theatre, a space that reinterprets the traditional concept of the conference room. Here we experiment with the use of mobile elements and versatile structures that provide us with a multidimensional view on three large screens, where video interviews with international architecture studios (BIG, Bjarke Ingels Group e Barber & Osgerby) are shown.
The importance of mental and physical balance is promoted and supported by the space called The Nap Room. Along its curved walls, we find individual microspaces in which to rediscover privacy, embraced by the softness of the fabrics and accompanied by relaxing lights.
The Studio represents the concept of work environments that achieve their purpose with solutions for temporary living, in which to stay and work for the short or medium term.
The Archive is the place of memory, the space which, from a static place for the past to reside in, becomes a device for exchange and interaction. It is made up of nine large multimedial containers which tells of the evolution of workplaces from the 1950s to the present day by means of the most representative projects for spaces and furnishings ever seen.
The Restaurant is dedicated to conviviality, a place where eating meals plays a key role, from both a spatial and a relational point of view. It is a hybrid, dynamic container, the place in which to come together to talk and eat. It will be open to the public during the lunch break.
The Orchard, the courtyard at the end of the route, is designed with a system of outdoor rooms, surrounded by greenery, dedicated to relaxation and wellbeing breaks,
