WHAT'S UP Blog

How corridors, alcoves and soft zones facilitate cognitive switching.
Between focused individual work and lively interaction lies an area that is often underestimated in office planning: the interstitial space. It is precisely these transitional zones that are crucial for productive work in hybrid working environments. Corridors, alcoves and peripheral areas thus become more than mere circulation spaces – they support focus, interaction and natural movement in equal measure.

Working in green surroundings: The ‘biophilic design’ principle uses plants to create a pleasant office environment that protects against noise and poor air quality and helps improve concentration.

Open-plan workplaces promote transparency, interaction, and dynamic exchange. Yet the more open they become, the clearer the need for retreat emerges - not as an opposite, but as a necessary complement.

Sustained focus cannot thrive amid constant noise. With digital stimuli and conversations competing for attention, every interruption carries a cognitive cost, making deep concentration harder to regain - especially in open environments.

The question, then, is no longer whether retreat is needed, but how it can be designed without compromising openness.

It often begins inconspicuously: with a cup of coffee, a brief exchange, a spontaneous thought. Yet it is precisely in these moments that the potential of a space becomes clear - one that offers far more than a mere pause. The work café is no longer a peripheral feature; it is evolving into a central component of contemporary work environments. A place where interaction and concentration are not in opposition, but actively reinforce one another.

Modern workplaces operate in a constant tension between concentration, collaboration and regeneration. While open layouts encourage interaction, they often make it difficult to retreat when focus is needed. What is required are systems that create zones without building barriers – flexible, scalable and driven by use. 

se:hive addresses this challenge with a modular room-in-room concept that brings balance to open environments. Freely positioned, acoustically effective, and highly configurable, it enables a range of work modes to coexist within a cohesive design language.

Long conversations need space. Not only in a metaphorical sense, but quite literally within the physical environment. While traditional meeting rooms are often designed for efficiency and structure, the most valuable dialogues tend to emerge in settings where atmosphere, comfort, and a sense of retreat come together.

This is precisely where soft seating comes into play - introducing a new quality of interaction in the workplace.

The office is currently undergoing a fundamental transformation. For a long time, openness was considered the guiding principle of modern workplaces: communication, interaction and transparency defined spatial design. Yet with the growing density of digital stimuli and the rise of hybrid working, a different priority is coming into focus – the ability to concentrate.

In an environment shaped by constant connectivity, the office is becoming one of the few places where focused work can be deliberately supported. However, this challenge can no longer be addressed with standardised layouts. Instead, it requires a more nuanced and differentiated approach to space.

As part of a comprehensive cultural and organisational transformation, Ford Otosan commissioned the design of its new headquarters in Izmit, Turkey, as a forward-looking working environment. The aim was to meet the requirements of hybrid working models while creating spaces that optimally support both collaboration and individual concentration.

Collaboration in the office has undergone a fundamental transformation in recent years. Rigid workplace structures are increasingly giving way to flexible concepts that promote communication, creativity and productivity. At the heart of this development are collaborative spaces, which are specifically designed to foster teamwork and facilitate interaction between employees.

What does an office that truly meets the requirements of hybrid working look like? The new headquarters of Gruppo CAP in Milan provides a convincing answer across an area of 3,020 m². The project, by Alterstudio Partners, shows how working environments are evolving from classic offices with fixed desks to flexible, user-centred ecosystems.

Berlin is energy, culture, movement. At the same time, it is a city where the transformation of the working world has become especially visible: co-working spaces, cafés, creative meeting points – “third places” are part of everyday life here.

It is precisely within this environment that the Sedus Hub Berlin was created: as a showroom, as an inspiring meeting place, and as a vibrant space where modern work culture is not only presented, but truly lived.

The Sedus Hub Berlin is not a traditional exhibition space. It is a place that makes the spirit of Sedus tangible – inviting visitors to experience, explore and rethink contemporary work environments.

Concentration has become a defining capability of contemporary working life. In hybrid environments shaped by digital communication channels and open spatial concepts, it is increasingly under pressure. The latest edition of Sedus INISGHTS N° 20 “Focus in the Office” therefore addresses a fundamental question: how can workplaces be designed to reliably support focused work?

The world of work is changing. Hybrid working, agile teams and project-based collaboration are shaping everyday office life. Traditional rows of desks are increasingly being replaced by flexible room concepts. Lounge furniture plays a central role in this, not only offering comfort but also enabling new forms of communication, creativity and relaxation.

In hybrid working environments, digital and physical forms of work merge into a dynamic whole – with constantly changing requirements for spaces, users and tasks. "Focused work as a scarce resource" has become a central issue: according to Sedus INSIGHTS N° 20, modern working environments must not only promote interaction and exchange, but above all enable targeted concentration. Open-plan spaces need differentiated zones that help employees choose the right place for their respective tasks. This means less rigid departments and more sensory and functionally coordinated zoning of the space.

Tetra Pak in Tokyo and Warsaw is an inspiring case in point: a project by tp bennett that illustrates how to strike the right balance between highly stimulating spaces for collaboration and networking and low-stimulation environments for quiet, focused work – while adapting to different cultural contexts.

Open working environments stand for exchange, transparency and dynamism. At the same time, studies and everyday experience show that noise, visual stimuli and a lack of places for retreat are among the biggest productivity killers in the office. The solution lies not in choosing between openness and isolation, but in intelligent intermediate zones. Textile retreats such as se:hive demonstrate how acoustics and privacy can be used as levers to enhance wellbeing and focus.

For years, open working environments have been synonymous with exchange, transparency and collaboration. They promote interaction, accelerate communication and strengthen corporate culture. At the same time, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that openness alone is not enough. Concentrated work – the basis for quality, clarity and productivity – requires protection, quiet and control over the immediate environment.

Touch displays are now an integral part of our everyday lives – we swipe, tap and navigate intuitively through digital interfaces. It was precisely this user behaviour that prompted the development of the new touch display for se:cube and se:cube max. In this interview, Sedus product manager Nike Alberts provides insights into the development process, the idea behind them and the added value for modern working environments.

The Novu Campus at Zurich Airport is a forward-looking workplace that sets new standards for flexibility, collaboration and user experience. Since opening in 2025, the modern working environment at The Circle has offered an inspiring setting for a wide variety of working styles across more than 4,000 m² and three floors – from quiet co-working spaces and dynamic team offices to spacious meeting and event areas for up to 240 people. Around 300 workstations, 200 of which are in dedicated areas and membership-based, are available to users.

Hybrid work demands new spatial concepts. Work cafés have emerged as a central element in modern office design – spaces that seamlessly integrate work, social interaction and well-being. Sedus demonstrates how to achieve this with structure, system and style.