COMPASS WORKSTATION

LINE Urbancase

DISCIPLINE commercial furniture

YEAR 2016

ROLE ideation, concept development, prototyping, design for manufacturing, aesthetics and CMF, project management

ELEMENTS modular, simple user-assembly, flat-pack shipping, adjustable

MATERIALS steel and aluminum (water jet cut, fabricated, powder coated), wood (CNC cut, hand finished), steel hardware

The Compass Workstation is a modular workplace solution from Urbancase.

Consisting of a desk and storage unit, this workstation can be arranged in countless configurations to best suit its environment.

ANALYSIS

As digital files have largely replaced printed documents, the role of office furniture has evolved. Effective cord routing and access to power has taken priority over storage capacity. With the popularization of the open plan office, adaptability has become a more pressing need than privacy.

OBJECTIVES

Combine classic materials with the functionality that the contemporary office environment requires.
Develop a modular system that allows the desks to be configured in a range of orientations that adapt to the office space.
Develop a system that allows the height of the desk to be adjusted to accommodate different users.

A sketch of the adjustable bracket system.

Exploring the connection between the desk and storage unit.

DEVELOPMENT

This workstation was developed around a versatile steel bracket system. In addition to providing structure for the stretchers, the brackets at each end of the desk were used to mount the work surface to the legs. Multiple connection points on the bracket allowed the user to customize the height of their desk. If additional storage was necessary, the legs could be removed and the bracket could mount directly to a storage cabinet. These cabinets allow multiple desks to link together in customizable orientations.

The steel bracket.

The assembly of the surface and bracket.

The bracket system facilitates modular use.

The bracket allows one to adjust the height of the desk as well as attach storage units.

The legs and steel bracket create a simple profile.

The desk surfaces can easily be adjusted to different heights.

Using the slot near the top of the storage unit, the desks may be mounted in any configuration.

A series of slots allow cords to be routed through the space between the stretchers. Cords can also be routed through the storage cabinet.

Accessories, such as this privacy screen, expand the experience.

RESULTS

This workstation, built from solid wood and powder coated steel, was designed around computer use. The desk and cabinet provided areas for mounting hidden power strips as well as internal cord routing options that allow a cord to run discreetly from the floor to the work surface.
The steel bracket allowed the desk to stand independently with legs or “daisy chain” together using the cabinets.
The legs could be adjusted on the steel bracket, allowing the desk to be positioned with a surface height of 28.5” or 30”. Additionally, the standard legs could be replaced with standing height legs.

Created in collaboration with Darin Montgomery of Urbancase.