A New Solution for Open Office Shelving

When it comes to demarcating and optimizing space, the open office can present boundless opportunities and unavoidable challenges. Shelving systems are an obvious solution to the conundrum because they provide both a place to store items and a solid object that can be used to break up the visual expansiveness of an open layout. What frequently happens, however, is that these shelving systems create poor lines of sight and contribute to visual clutter.

Well, there’s a solution for that problem, too, and it comes courtesy of Dallas-based modular divider manufacturer Loftwall. Over the course of a cross-country research trip across North America, the brand learned what exactly designers need to create the most efficient and stylish open offices for their clients.

“We spent a lot of time trying to understand how people packed functionality into their spaces,” explains Bryce Stuckenschneider, Loftwall’s CEO. “Square footage is at an all-time premium, and we kept hearing that anything we designed had to have 4 or 5 reasons for existing. That stuck out to us.”

The product Loftwall invented to answer this demanding challenge is called Shift and it’s the product of “hundreds of conversations with designers over the last several years,” says Stuckenschneider. It’s a fully-customizable, modular solution that gives designers ultimate aesthetic control. Everything from the powder-coated frame, to the panels, to the surfaces can be altered to fit a client’s exact wants and needs. This includes acoustics integration, writable surfaces, and made-to-order decorative elements like branding.

“Creatively dividing space is our favorite challenge to solve,” says Steve Kinder, Loftwall’s founder. “We launched Shift to solve two problems: lack of privacy and storage—both are a nasty by-product of the open office. We feel excited to get the design community’s feedback on our latest product.”

Shift will be available for specification starting in June 2019. The full Shift system will be on display at NeoCon 2019 at booth #7046.