The people behind Boogi, a new office furniture boutique in Manila, know that the physical layout of a workspace can impact employees’ productivity, creativity, well-being and health.
While open-space layout is common in many offices, there is a need for some form of architectural privacy to encourage employees to focus on their work or exchange meaningful conversations. (People who engage in guarded conversations in open-space layouts often compromise the exchange of ideas.)
Boogi, a concept store that opened in Germany more than 13 years ago, has relocated in Manila. It specializes in functional contemporary designs in office furnishing. It likewise does leading-edge floor plans proven to resuscitate a sluggish environment into work mode.
Managed and operated by the couple Burkhardt “Boogi” Zipperich and Nenette Pangilinan Zipperich, Boogi carries award-winning, high-end furniture and furnishings of select premium European and Asian brands.
PRO chairs by the German manufacturer Flötotto and designed by renowned German industrial designer Konstantin Grcic have a distinct, curvaceous backrest to provide maximum comfort even after spending long hours seated. They are also designed to accommodate various types of sitting positions. The key here, said Burkhardt, is mobility and comfort of the user.
“When someone is more comfortable they become more productive,” Burkhardt said. “In Germany, schools now have different types of chairs to accommodate the students’ different body sizes. So your seatmate may not have the exact same chair as you. This way, the students become comfortable and relaxed in class, and they absorb the lessons much better compared to if they used generic chairs.”
Since its introduction in 2012, the PRO chair has won numerous accolades, including the Red Dot Design Award 2012, Interior Innovation Award 2012, IF Product Design Award 2013 and a GOLD for the German Design Award in 2014.
“I’ve tried hundreds of chairs in trade shows all over the world,” Nenette said. “This is the most ergonomic chair I have ever sat on. I work for long hours, and I like this chair because it forces me to sit properly. I have fewer backaches and can also focus more on the work to be done.”
Sociable design
Office chairs in Europe have one uniform look, from the ones used by the CEO down to the rank-and-file, Burkhardt said. A major adjustment his company had to make, he said, was to bring in the “Boss’ chair.” Workplace hierarchy is predominantly an Asian trait, Nenette said. So, for the CEOs, Boogi also offers large, “executive-worthy” chairs.
The mobile cabinet Bisley Bite Pedestal has a reversible soft-closing lid, whiteboard, a letterbox for receiving mail, casters and a 10-year guarantee. They’re high enough to accommodate personal and office storage, and when office desks are lined up next to each other, they create a sense of personal space in a cramped work environment.
The more cutting-edge office layout, now the current trend in many forward-thinking companies, employs a more sociable design, where employees are given the freedom to tailor the layout, height and configuration of their desks based on their personal preference. Think Google and Facebook offices.
For this, Boogi offers the Sitting Bull bean bag that can be transformed into a stool, couch or bed. Just pull the bean bag by its sides, and transform it into a shape most conducive for work.
“The workplace is changing,” Burkhardt said. “Bean bags are becoming a trend. People now work away from their desk. They have laptops and tablets, and spend only 56 percent of their time at their desk. But they also need a space where they can focus. For progressive companies, employees put on headphones to instantly create a personal space.”
Boogi, the store concept of PROduxx! Design & Trading Corp., carries a wide range of brands and products designed to create a better, more functional workspace whether at home, in the office or in school. It also designs reception areas, libraries, conference rooms, convention centers, hospitals, terminals, auditoriums, churches, malls, bars, lounges and restaurants.
Boogi is at 3/F LRI Design Plaza, 210 Nicanor Garcia St., Bel-Air II, Makati; tel. 0917-4434592; e-mail whatsup@produxx.com.ph or zipperich@boogi.net. Visit its Facebook page, or its website www.produxx.com.ph.