“Destination office”: how to work outside the conventional office?

1. Our vision on how to work better

Create a destination

A destination is a place you want to visit and actively decide to go to. Travelling to a destination makes a difference because the journey is enriching in itself.

When choosing a destination, be it a physical location like a city or a workplace like an office, you are going to put together a set of elements that emotionally and culturally click with people.  These elements are more than just physical features; they evoke feelings, memories and a sense of belonging within the local community.

Furthermore, each place also has its “must see”, something it is known for. But adding extra elements to this enhances the uniqueness of the destination. This can manifest itself on many levels and local flavors such as culinary experiences, rituals or much more.

And what happens when you leave again? Do you think back in nostalgia, do you decide to return? Will you take others with you to share your experience? What is certain is that you will leave enriched, full of memories that will connect you to this place forever.

From our thinking, each office should become “the destination” you want to visit with its own “must see” and additional elements with a unique character for each company.

Vitra: your partner in inspiring and sustainable workplaces

Vitra is more than a furniture manufacturer; Project Vitra is a third-generation family business with a strong cultural and ecological mission. We believe that the environment influences our thoughts and feelings, whether we are at home, at work or on the move. Therefore, we work daily to improve our environment through the power of good design. As a sustainable partner, we furnish inspiring spaces that are both functional and people-oriented.

Environmental awareness and  innovation

Environmental awareness is woven into every aspect of our work. This is reflected in the way we develop and manufacture our products, where we source our raw materials and how we organize our supply chain. Moreover, we see every new insight as an opportunity for further development.

2.  Employees are supported with a tailored development program

Our employees: the key to success

To successfully fulfil our mission in the long term, we value employees who share our values and help promote our goals with drive and enthusiasm.

Inspiring working environments and flexible conditions

We believe we achieve the best results as a team, working together with colleagues with diverse education, backgrounds and interests. Our aim is to be flexible in dealing with differences while emphasizing our similarities.

Cultural engagement and collaboration

The core of Vitra’s success lies in fostering a common interest in the company’s cultural engagement among its employees. To encourage involvement in Project Vitra, employees are regularly given the opportunity to participate in activities around the themes of design and architecture. We believe that the office is the central workplace where teams come together to work towards a common goal and experience the corporate culture.

Hybrid working models and team cohesion

Since the pandemic, companies and teams have found their way back to each other, but the way of working together has changed permanently. In a hybrid world of work, where finding, retaining and keeping staff in the office is a challenge, strong team cohesion can be the answer. The spaces in which we work together can be designed to encourage exchange and collaboration and bring the corporate culture to life.

Flexible and adaptable work environments

The need to easily adapt work environments to changing situations is more relevant than ever. This means more than just adding or removing workstations; it also means the ability to adapt environments and their functions. Flexible work environments bring people, spaces and technology together and adapt to changes in how, where and when work is performed.

While technology is an employee’s software, the workplace is their hardware: a dynamic space that can be easily reconfigured by users, accommodates different ways of working and multiple activities. With little effort or financial investment, an office can transform into a workshop space or a meeting room into a waiting area. Dynamic spaces can be created in any context and are relevant to all sectors: offices and public spaces.

3. We are shaping the future

Support in a changing world of work

The way we work is constantly changing. Vitra provides you with the latest insights and learning experiences and guides you through this process. We draw on the knowledge of our network of thought leaders, experts, scientists, designers, architects and clients, as well as our own findings from projects with partners and clients, in our showrooms and workplaces, and on the Vitra Campus.

Consulting & Planning Studio (C PS)

Our Consulting & Planning Studio (CPS) has years of experience in designing and implementing inspiring and innovative work concepts and environments. Together with our clients, we develop future-proof work environments and enable people to discover the potential of an interior while working together to transform it.

The Vitra CPS team offers advice and tools to help partners, decision-makers and employees. It is an interdisciplinary team of architects, interior designers, psychologists and many others who support clients with their collective knowledge. They stand for quality and flexible long-term solutions. The team advises clients on how to reinvent their offices and design improved working experiences for the entire organization, with the needs of the employees and the business at the center.

Vitra: innovation in hybrid workstations

In spring 2021, the CPS team began designing the Club Office for our main office in Switzerland. This concept arose from the insight that employees come to the office with the desire to feel part of a bigger picture, meet colleagues and gain new knowledge and skills.

Recognizing the hybrid nature of contemporary work, the Club Office is divided into three areas: public, semi-public and private. The ‘members’ of the Club, consisting of Vitra’s employees from all departments and external partners, experience various spatial scenarios and collaboration opportunities in a small area of less than 300 m².

A new type work space

The development of Vitra’s own Club Office answers the need for a new type of workspace with in-depth spatial solutions and the latest product updates. Our offices serve as experimentation spaces and some areas are also open to clients. They clearly illustrate the different ways in which contemporary working environments can be created, tailored to individual needs and requirements.