Take WFH and throw in the stress-busting properties of nature, and what do you get? In the Finnish city of Lahti, a wooden desk strapped to a tree. Designed to allow people to enjoy fresh air and the city's natural surroundings while knocking off their to-dos, Viita workstations are made of Finnish spruce and carefully attached to prevent trees from being harmed. Each standing desk has space for a laptop, as well as holders for bags, phones and cups or water bottles.
Lahti, which is Europe's Green Capital 2021, worked with TBWA Helsinki and a team of students from LAB Institute of Design and Fine Arts to create the workstations, which were manufactured by local furniture maker Upwood Design.
Trend Bite
From cabins in Chilean parks to outdoor workstations in Montreal and Lahti, cities are adapting to our new hybrid way of working by offering citizens respite from dining table desks and bedroom Zoom calls. Part of the attractiveness of these third spaces is that they're not commercial. But that doesn't mean there aren't opportunities for brands to create similar spaces. Just focus on supporting and inspiring your audience, and use the lightest possible touch when it comes to marketing ;-)
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