They say that every cloud has a silver lining, and the pandemic had a few. Without intending to diminish the hardships and suffering that many of us experienced, it was interesting to observe how our lifestyle habits had to shift and change to align with the new reality.

Australians observed that the pandemic allowed many design efficiencies to be developed because of new demands. For example, Doctors would now consult over the phone and medical referrals were now easily emailed or left at the doctors’ reception for collection. For some reason in Australia, these practices were not allowed previously, but with the request that we all steer clear of one another, more practical plans were put in place.

The discipline of design is behind concepts such as these and many more. With the medical example, a new design of patient handling and customer service procedures was required. All the supporting personnel and administration processes would have to be considered, as face-to-face recognition was no longer available. The design and development of booking apps, and changes to internal administration processes appeared to help keep medical services operating within government guidelines.

Similarly, to medical practices, there were many other examples of where other designs were created or sped up as necessity became the mother of invention.

At Studio Pip, we experienced an increase in the enquiries for home office and home study desks. More people were now at home more often, and sharing the home office, dining table or kitchen bench was now a daily negotiation for workspace.

Where at least one adult may have previously left the house to go to a work destination, and the younger ones may have left for university, college or school, everyone was now in the same space day in day out. Attention now turned to finally fitting out the home office properly, or quickly finding a solution that could work in a space that now had to be multi- purpose, such as the bedroom.

For the multi-purpose room, Studio Pip responded with the Chloe Desk and the Leo Desk. Both offer a compact design with a small footprint, offering features such as anti-bacterial vinyl surfaces, phone chargers and lockable desk features for those wanting to secure their valuables. (Those now working from home in a share house situation suddenly found themselves having to provide security at home for work documents and laptops. Knowing that their valuables could be securely locked away as they took a much-needed break was not a consideration pre pandemic).

For the more dedicated home office, Studio Pip offered the Todd Desk, which has attractive timber curves and a design that can be custom sized. Not all designs are flexible in this way. As table lengths change, the suitability of the base does not necessarily translate across all sizes and styles. However, the Todd Desk has cleverly been designed to suit all adaptations. The generous proportions of the Todd Desk were also designed to consider the appropriate social distancing should someone require it to turn into a meeting desk. In fact, the Todd Desk is attractive enough to be used as a corporate boardroom table or even a Dining Table in a home or office.

So, you can see, the discipline of design was incorporated into carefully considered furniture pieces, in an immediate response to the newly developed needs as people worked and studied from home.

All Studio Pip products are designed and made in Australia. As the pandemic took hold, we found that more enquiries were requesting Australian made products, as our outlook turned in and our focus shifted. Additionally, products from overseas experienced supply chain difficulties as different countries went into various stages of lockdown. Container ships were held up and this was exacerbated by the industrial action taken at Port Botany in late 2020, as well as the complex issues as Victoria went into full lockdown. Port Melbourne is one of the most important shipping ports in Australia and many container ships were either held up or turned away.

There was also a sense of increased loyalty to support Australian made, which probably began in the supermarket isle. According to Dr Wendy Umberger, a professor of agriculture and food economics at the University of Adelaide, one of the biggest consumer trends to emerge from the pandemic has been the increased focus and emphasis on country of origin, namely Australian and locally made products.

As reported by Jon Daly of ABC Rural, Dr Umberger said 46 per cent of consumers told researchers that Australian origin was of more importance to them since the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a mix of nationalism, but it is also driven by safety concerns,” she said. “They’re just not sure they can trust food from other countries. Australian’s trust in our food system is really strong and really impressive.”¹

This nationalism and perhaps the desire to support local jobs and businesses, turned toward non-food purchases. Australian made was now more in demand than ever and businesses like Studio Pip were called to respond.

Fortunately, our mission to create furniture designed and made in Australia worked to our favour as consumers turned away from imported products. We actively ramped up production to meet this demand by designing and producing Australian made products, specifically desks, of quality and value and supporting many other small businesses. Studio Pip’s wholesale nature means that many other Australian businesses in the supply chain benefitted, as we sought to strengthen our existing supply chain and support new partners along the way.

Just like Studio Pip, everyone in the short-term future, at least in Australia, will continue to review the way we live and work. The sudden halt to what we did in the past has presented an opportunity to review and improve. Systems that were taken for granted in the past, will now be reviewed for their relevance and necessity, and new designs to suit new demands will emerge.

1 ABC Rural By Jon Daly Panic buying psychology and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer behaviour – ABC News

For example, around 2016, a redesign of office spaces was becoming more popular. The emergence of “resimercial design” surfaced, combining residential and commercial ideas when designed the workplace.

The online magazine ‘Work Design’ describes Resimercial Design: “Ideally, resimercial design engages the “whole employee” in the work environment – not just the intellect that comes to work. At the same time, a resimercial designer’s challenge is to balance the desire for the materials, colours, textures, fabrics, and patterns that render a feeling of warmth, familiarity and security with the pragmatic productivity and commercial durability required in the workplace. “²

The pandemic put ideas like ‘Resimercial’ on hold as the commercial office was abandoned, but now we are seeing it re-emerge, if not with a stronger push, as businesses begin to entice their workforce to return to the office. Businesses are in 2 minds as productivity in most cases has increased whilst workers are at home. However, some important issues remain unresolved: how do you instil the company’s culture and processes that are either formally presented or ‘absorbed’ by employees whilst they are in the workplace? Particularly for new office recruits – How will they ever learn any cultural nuances if their only company all day is potentially their cat?

Re-enter Resimercial Design, but now with more gusto and perhaps more popularity. “According to data, people get more ideas at home or while engaged in activities associated with domestic life than at any other time or anywhere else “³ ,including the workplace! If companies are keen to start using their corporate real estate again, then it follows that they remodel these workplaces to seem more like home.

How can this be done? Businesses would be wise to incorporate comfortable break out areas that resemble a generously appointed lounge room. Soft furnishings, area rugs, artwork and greenery add to the non-office feel, stimulating comfortable and energised exchanges.

² Resimercial Transformations – Work Design Magazine Resimercial Transformations. by David Sheehan and Nicole D. Sheffield
³ Resimercial Design: The New Path to Workplace Creativity (workdesign.com) Resimercial Design: The New Path To Workplace Creativity by Donald M. Rattner, AIA

Studio Pip’s Play Lounge has been a popular choice. Its relaxed look and well supported framework provide comfort with a casual look and feel. The Play lounge is a series of freestanding and modular seating elements that allow for endless arrangements in a workplace setting.

Similarly, the Brodie has modular pieces providing the perfect solution for businesses with restricted access as each module can be separated to enable easy installation. With just three modules, the Brodie can create a two-, three- and four-seater lounge as well as a variety of L-Shape modular configurations and matching armchairs.

Studio Pip’s Ari Chair has also been chosen in corporate foyers. With its angled support in either American oak or Tasmanian Oak, the Ari provides homely comfort in areas where people may take the opportunity to relax and refresh.

It is anticipated that the trend of Resimercial will increase, particularly with the ‘always on’ mentality of the modern age. Homelike environments where workers will enjoy spending time, is seen as one way to accommodate the increased demand placed on employees⁴ and entice them back into the office space.

The nature of Resimercial’s flexible and multi-purpose design may also more easily comply with new space requirements post-pandemic, whilst corporations make offices as safe and as healthy as possible. In fact, replacing standard office furniture with living room style furniture is a more attractive option for open spaces when accommodating social distance requirements and Studio Pip’s range offers both form and function, missing the comforts of home with some much-missed colleague collaboration.

Design is ever evolving, and efficiencies and improvements are the best results. Hopefully, some of these are here to stay. In our attempts to create a new normal, we may continue to consult with our doctors over the phone, in between brainstorming with peers in the comfort of our resimercial style workplace.

⁴ The Rise of Resimercial Design in The Modern Workplacehttps://www.coalesse.com/blog/the-rise-of-resimercial-design-in-the-modern-workplace/

SOURCES:
ABC Rural By Jon Daly Panic buying psychology and how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumer behaviour – ABC News
Resimercial Transformations – Work Design Magazine Resimercial Transformations by David Sheehan and Nicole D. Sheffield
Resimercial Design: The New Path to Workplace Creativity (workdesign.com) Resimercial Design: The New Path To Workplace Creativity by Donald M. Rattner, AIA
The Rise of Resimercial Design in The Modern Workplace
https://www.coalesse.com/blog/the-rise-of-resimercial-design-in-the-modern-workplace/