We’ve been asked variations of the same question countless times: “So, what’s the next thing?” By ‘thing’, what’s meant is the next soft seating, pod, HA table, ergonomic chair, benching, cubicle…the next typological rupture to sweep the industry. Our answer – it’s complicated – is often met with disappointment. Everyone likes simple answers to difficult questions.

Such binary framing implies a single issue and solution; this is a mistake. Over the last century, the nature of work has evolved in increasingly complex ways, shifting from universal experiences (Fordism) to something more individual and atomised. Today, work is viewed through the lens of specificity, with no two workers or businesses sharing the same needs. At the same time, the office is being restructured around a collective experience of connection and exchange. Riddled with contradictions, there is no ‘thing’, but a collection of ‘things’ in constant flux.

The factors shaping these ‘things’ are well dissected and familiar to us all. The perceived lack of innovation is not just a byproduct of current economic conditions, but a reflection of the complexities of our time. Work sits at a technological and societal conjuncture, with how, where, when and why continually being taken apart and put back together, all at a time when truth has never been harder to ascertain.

Workplace furniture/tools develop in dialogue with these changing factors. The broad directions are now clear; how they translate into product is less so. While overarching statements may be scarce, scratch the surface and there is a wealth of smart, nuanced and challenging thinking. This year, we’re focused exclusively on 2026 launches.

Our objective has always been to question and push the dialogue, not simply echo it. Trade shows are useful barometers of our evolving industry, forming a foundation for these reports through the products we see and, more importantly, the conversations we have. We couple this with ongoing research
and internal development to understand not just what, but why.

If we had to pick one word to describe what we’re seeing across new product development, it’s nuance. More than ever, typologies are branching into increasingly specific subcategories. Take the humble table: the office was once defined largely by desks and meeting tables, now it encompasses a growing array of increasingly specific options. Micro-packs are just one of the latest shoots in this evolutionary lineage: table – desk – HA desk – HA bench – hot desk – micro-pack.

‘You’re just describing development, nothing new’, you may say. Yes, but the degree and breadth of specialisation marks a shift, visible well beyond our industry (platform capitalism loves creating silos). The drivers are clear, but their nature and pace are pushing development in increasingly nuanced directions. The trajectory of our industry is becoming less singular and linear, this may go some way to explaining the perceived lack of progress over recent years. Consider where discourse and product was just five years ago, it’s clear things are moving, but where once there were large, clear steps, there are now smaller ones in multiple directions.

The purpose of the office is softening too, moving beyond traditional productive functions towards knowledge-sharing, collaboration and human interaction. It is becoming the physical expression of an organisation’s social and cultural infrastructure. As is evident walking any show, for product, this has largely manifested in an abundance of soft seating alongside a focus on ancillary.

As is customary, we end our report by looking further afield. Building on thoughts from previous reports, we share an insight into some of the discussions currently permeating the studio. Informed through research and dialogue, the themes span both ideas actively informing our current work, and more exploratory thoughts shaping our thinking around the medium and longer term.