Live interview with Stephan Hürlemann as part of Virtual Design Festival

Architect Stephan Hürlemann will discuss his flexible Dancing Office concept developed for Vitra during a live Screentime conversation as part of our VDF x Vitra collaboration. Tune in from 3:00pm UK time.

The Swiss architect and designer will speak to Dezeen’s founder and editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs about the concept he developed for the Swiss furniture brand.

Called the Dancing Office, the product consists of moveable partitions that allow office spaces to be reconfigured spontaneously and easily.

Vitra Dancing Office
Vitra’s Dancing Office concept features multifunctional moveable partitions

Designed to divide an office space into different zones and layouts, each partition features a metal frame that can be configured in a variety of ways to function as a bookshelf, TV unit, coat rack, whiteboard and pin-board as well as a vertical desk.

According to Vitra, the concept was developed to encourage office workers to be active participants in their working environments.

The modular panels can be configured as shelving

The concept grew out of the Dancing Wall, a multi-functional, mobile partition designed by Hürlemann for Vitra in 2018.

“An important characteristic of Dancing Office is the fact that it motivates users to take initiative and to become actors in their working environment,” the brand explained of the concept.

Hürlemann has previously applied the Dancing Wall concept at his own studio in Zurich and at the Swiss office of consulting firm PwC.

The talk is part of Dezeen’s collaboration with Vitra for Virtual Design Festival, which also features a report on Vitra’s research into the future of the office.

Vitra Dancing Office
The partitions can be used as walls, shelves and noticeboards

The collaboration will also see a series product launches from the brand on Monday 22 June as part of Virtual Design Festival’s virtual products fair.

Vitra was founded in 1953 by Willi Fehlbaum after he discovered the designs of Charles and Ray Eames and subsequently produced many of the duos most iconic pieces.

The Swiss brand recently worked with Herman Miller to release a limited edition of the Eames’ LTR table topped with eucalyptus wood from trees felled at the Eames house in Los Angeles.

Vitra Dancing Office
Dancing Office aims to give people agency over their office space

It also recently worked with designer Virgil Abloh on an exhibition that imagined a vision of the home in 2035 by delving into Vitra’s furniture archive.

Hürlemann is a Zurich-based architect and designer specialising in furniture, product, interiors and exhibition design.

He has previously designed pieces for leather furniture manufacturer de Sede, watch manufacturer Ventura and lighting brand Belux.

In 2018 he created window displays for Hermès and a series of huge wooden puppets exhibited at Ventura Centrale during Milan design week.

About Virtual Design Festival

Virtual Design Festival runs from 15 April to 10 July 2020. It brings the architecture and design world together to celebrate the culture and commerce of our industry, and explore how it can adapt and respond to extraordinary circumstances.

To find out what’s coming up at VDF, check out the schedule. For more information or to join the mailing list, email vdf@dezeen.com.

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