Flexible workplace open to trial at Inhabit

Those who doubt the merits of flexible office environments may get the chance to experience them first hand with Inhabit.

Designed by furniture supplier Stylecraft in collaboration with POMT and Woods Bagot, the centre is located in Stylecraft's Sydney show room.

People will have the opportunity to test the merits of flexible activity based work office spaces with Inhabit, a space designed by furniture supplier Stylecraft in collaboration with POMT and Woods Bagot.

The fully functioning office will be open to Stylecraft’s clients and partners, who can book the space for a pilot group to test and try. Stylecraft’s managing director Anthony Collins says users will be able to carry out their usual work at Inhabit.

“We have created a space like no other in Australia,” said Collins. “User groups can spend a day or even a week at Inhabit for an immersive experience of flexible working – and still be doing their day jobs while they are there.”

Custom printed smartcards which give testers access to individual lockers and spaces in the office were supplied by POMT.

Users can book zones, desks and meeting rooms through an online system and individual screens in each bookable zone. WiFi is available throughout the entire office.

The office showcases the latest workplace trend: Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD, with staff members able to hook up laptops, tablets and smartphones to video conferencing equipment, screens, and an “interactive smart wall”.

Jeremy Pollack, director of strategy and development for POMT, says versatility is central to the space’s design.

“The challenge we had was not just designing technology to work for one company’s users, but for many companies’ users,” said Pollack.

“It’s BYOD taken to its extremes. We had to consider multiple different devices and multiple different applications which all have to work with the collaborative and AV technologies deployed.”

Since its June opening, a number of pilot groups have already tested out Inhabit.