A Start for More
"Orgatec is the world's leading trade fair for modern working environments. This means we have an obligation to design a leading and forward-looking programme. In addition, work is a broad field, so it's also about how we design spaces, use technology and think about the structure of organisations. It's about catering, the impact of music and art in the workplace. There is so much to think about," says Robert Thiemann, co-founder of Frame magazine and founder of the Betterness agency. Together with Wolfram Sauer, Head of Public Affairs at New Work SE and co-founder of the speaker agency Leading Minds, he has curated the festival programme. Art and design form two exciting thematic areas on a total of 600 square metres, where a variety of creative ideas can be discovered: "The design exhibition "Rewire – New Work Modes" will show seven scenarios for the office of the future, put together by curator Marlies Bolhoven. Alternative resources for the production of textile fibres, for example, are taken up by the "Human Material Loop", while meta-designer Lars van Vianen explores the harmony between architecture and nature in a new way with "SuperSurfaces", harnessing the sun's warmth with precision or ensuring rainwater is managed efficiently.
In their projects, the designers also explore the effect of scent, light and sound on our well-being and invite us to engage in dialogue. "We look at work from a holistic perspective and go far beyond the products shown at the fair. We talk about the health and well-being of individual employees, but also about team building, technology such as AI, and social and environmental sustainability. You will only find these topics bundled together in this form at Orgatec," says Robert Thiemann. Visitors to the "Rewire" exhibition can interact with many of the displayed works, such as "Heartsync" by Nino Basilashvili. This uses heart rate data to measure and stimulate the synchronization of heart rates within a group – a symbol of the networked society. The body and nature are also the reference variables in other exhibits, which will impressively demonstrate the positive effect a holistically designed workplace can have on our well-being and productivity.
However, the interface with art is not far away: the "Unfair" platform founded by artists offers new perspectives on the experience of space using contemporary structures, dynamic worlds of colour and abstract forms. Elsmarijn Bruys, for example, challenges our perception with inflatable sculptures, while Lou-Lou van Staaveren shows natural paradises and utopias in photographic works that make us question the consequences of idealising and controlling the natural environment. "We are primarily concerned with exchange. We want to create the best possible interaction between everyone who visits and exhibits at the fair. This dialogue is created by asking questions, expressing opinions, and learning from each other," says Robert Thiemann. He adds that the works of design and art offer plenty of inspiration for the design of workplace scenarios – the key is to create a variety that meets people's individual needs.
The talks and panels programme of Wherever Whenever is divided into the tracks "Life", "Team" and "Impact" to provide general orientation. The international experts who will enliven these thematic fields with exciting talks include architects and designers such as UN Studio’s Ben van Berkel, Sabine Marcelis and Werner Aisslinger, but also surprising acts such as rapper-cum-sustainability-frontrunner Smudo and the coach of Austria’s national football team, Ralf Rangnick. Meanwhile, Uli Blum of Zaha Hadid Architects will explore how AI is changing workplace design within the "Impact" track. "The new Wherever Whenever – Work Culture Festival is set to enrich Orgatec and explore the future of work from all angles," says Robert Thiemann.
