In Review: Interstuhl's HUB

We invited designers Amber Peters from Bluehaus, and Julie Thom from AAID, to review Interstuhl’s latest and incredibly unique modular work system, HUB. With so many moving parts and configurations (and a swing thrown in!), it was hard not to fall in love.

The nature of work has changed. What people need from their workspaces is changing. And the office as we know it will continue to change. Interstuhl is well aware of this, and in preparation for a new world of work, decided to re-imagine workspace solutions.

The result is their exciting new venture, HUB, a versatile modular system for creatively designing individual and collaborative office spaces. After careful analysis, HUB has been developed to address current and future workspace challenges using an innovative approach to furniture design.

Volker Eysing, designer of HUB, describes it as being all about finding solutions to working in a world that is becoming increasingly digitalised. “HUB is flexible in every regard, has a comfortable ambience, and is the perfect tool for today’s office environment.”

“Interstuhl has come a long way since our first chair,” says Brian Dowling, Director GCC. “We kicked off in 1961 during the booming textile industry in Southern Germany. Starting with the bi-regulette, Interstuhl has always delivered solutions that fit the needs of the time.”

The Review Crew

Above from left: Julie Thom, Associate Director, AAID; Amber Peters, Senior Interior Designer, Bluehaus Group; Brian Dowling, Director GCC, Interstuhl

One System to Fit them All

HUB belongs within a new field of competence called Splaces, a zoning concept developed by Interstuhl that utilises its entire product suite in multidimensional ways. The HUB modular system is critical to Splaces, which focuses on mobility and digital-first work.

The HUB collection essentially consists of partition walls, meeting pods, screens and seating of multiple sizes and heights, used in different combinations to create different settings. Panels come in different sizes and can be used to create varying levels of privacy. The screen system includes backing screens, which are available in two designs, high and low. The low version is 135 cm tall, while the high version measures 190 cm. You’d be pleasantly surprised to see the clever cable management design as well.

Accessories, such as hooks for coats, are nice final touches to top off this elegant system. Digital work aside, whiteboards are available, keeping in mind the need for simple in-person collaboration tools. “You can mix and match to make whatever you’re imagining,” says Brian. “It’s fun and incredibly effective.”

The screen wall is connected to the seating by a two-part connector unit. The intelligent design brings stability to the two elements, but also allows you to perfectly level the screen height when standing on its own, with its gliding, slide-in modules of differing heights of up to 10 millimetre.

However, it was the LED lighting system in the pods that took us by surprise and left us in awe. Controlled by a simple app on your phone that is easily downloadable, you can control the mood by dimming or brightening the diffused light, creating a lovely space to work or congregate for meetings. In fact, Amber stated this to be her favourite component about HUB!

One element we absolutely love is the tri-leg base on the HUB chair. It’s not something you find often and is finished so well! “The HUB has several small eye-catching elements to turn up the style quotient,” says Brian. “A simple example is the armchair base option. Interstuhl provides an oak wooden frame, a swivel base, aluminium swivel or aluminium tripod in black or white that can change its entire look.” Even the plastic inlay on the aluminium tripod is a real eye-catcher!

Amber: I absolutely love the sleek design. It’s got so many elements I’ve not seen before. The LED design and electric concealment is so effortless. There’s so much fun to be had with this collection. I think it’s great for delivering a balanced workspace solution that has to check off multiple requirements for their users.

Julie: I love how you’ve got so many options in one collection, yet there’s such a unified design language that’s evident. The accessories are well thought through, and they’ve really kept human-centered design in focus. It’s practical as well because the individual units are compact and light, which is just what you need these days.

Embracing Individualism, Promoting Collectivism

Splaces, and with it the HUB system, is designed to value flexibility above all else. The collection facilitates a balance of social vibes while providing space for focused work. A good example of this is the swing, a three seater sofa on a swing base. It’s a great addition for a casual piece in the midst of a busy workspace, encouraging one to take a break during a hard day.

The benches in HUB are designed to work with most types of settings, whether serious or fun. When combined with the HUB benches and pods, you can create unique benching systems for any workplace. Any shape is possible with minimum to little effort, whether rows of benches, a horseshoe shape, or a cluster of seats with partitions.

So What Do We Think?

Objectively, we love the HUB collection and the Splaces concept. It’s hard to make a comparison with other products in the market due to the unique elements in this collection, and the fact that it stands out from the crowd. Pricing is in the mid-range, making it fairly affordable for certain units and slightly higher on the others, yet still competitive. Although, it’s hard to put a price on the fun and creativity that’s possible through HUB! Furthermore, the additional offerings in this system, such as the wire concealment, cover for a cost that would have been added elsewhere in a project, as Julie very cleverly points out.

Amber: Given the current pandemic and the effect it will have on workspace design, this collection comes at a great time. You want to be able to create partitions and spaces the right way yet not isolate people. Clients are also still being educated on solutions they need today, and this helps drive the point.

It works well for both individual and group settings, but I believe some of the HUB products can work in hospitality as well. I’d love to see additional options for the powder coating, so we can achieve a much more aesthetically pleasing colour coordination.

Julie: The collection is smart and the thinking is clear. The flexibility to create different neighbourhoods is also great, and you don’t have to stick to a strict office setting, which is a relief! There are certain design elements, which I think are great finishing touches, like the tri-leg base on the chair. I’ve never seen cable management on sofas the way I’ve seen it on HUB!

It definitely sets itself apart from other ranges and there’s individuality present. I can see it being used on projects striving for LEED or WELL certifications, given the sustainability components of the collection. I’d love to see more options for the leg base, and a laptop table option, to support those types of work modes.