Workspaces of Tomorrow

Soft flooring opens up a wide range of design possibilities, creating a pleasant atmosphere, optimising acoustics, facilitating orientation, and contributing to a long-lasting, high-quality environment. This understanding of the central role of materiality also aligns with the perspective of Kay Sargent, Director of Thought Leadership, Interiors at HOK. In a recent interview conducted by modulyss – ahead of the upcoming modulyss Talks, which are organised for the architecture and design community – she shared valuable insights on how workspaces should be designed to support people throughout their professional lives. She is intensely engaged with the question of how working environments should be designed to provide people with the best possible support over the long term. In her view, working environments should therefore consider the various stages of life that people experience throughout their long working careers.

The need for holistic concepts is growing, as many people are living longer and are therefore likely to be working for 50 to 60 years in the future. Sargent points out that traditional working models are hardly compatible with this development: "We are not designed to sit for eight hours a day. If we do that for 30 years, it has an impact. If we do it for 60 years, the impact is far greater." Future working environments should therefore enable movement, enhance sensory well-being and take neuro-inclusive offerings into account with places that accompany people over the long term.

modulyss responds directly to this need, pursues a material strategy based on regenerative cycles, high quality and a large proportion of recycled components. Their carpet tiles are designed to adapt to changing conditions and can be returned at the end of their life cycle. The choice of materials not only meets ecological criteria but also reflects Sargent's stated need to go beyond sustainable design and embrace the concept of regeneration and circularity.

The redesign of the Targobank branch in Mainz by Leson GmbH shows what such an approach looks like in practice. The aim was to create an open, calm and organic-looking working environment, characterised by natural forms and soft transitions. Instead of clearly defined areas, a flowing spatial landscape was created that facilitates communication as well as concentrated work.

The floor played a central role in this: subtle patterns create intuitively comprehensible functional areas without creating visual boundaries. modulyss’ Artcore collections, "Core" and "Litho", were selected for the project. With its linear rhythm, "Core" serves as the design basis, while "Litho" adds spatial depth through its structured surface. Transition variants such as the "Litho Gradient-tile enable soft transitions between individual areas and support a natural, open feeling of space. This workspace design enhances orientation, and the carpet improves the acoustic quality of the open floor plan. Susanne Leson, Managing Director and Interior Architect at Leson GmbH, describes the approach: "A flowing, harmonious, organic design language is the right way to meet the desire for unity, an open culture and communication. The design of a room influences how we perceive and use it."

The result is a working environment that combines tranquillity, inspiration and functionality, giving employees a pleasant feeling from the very first moment. Modular floor coverings, flexible room structures and an integrated furniture concept keep the working landscape agile, allowing it to be easily adapted to different ways of working. The Artcore collections used create a harmonious overall impression, define zones and enable a natural flow of movement. This project shows how a future-ready workplace can take shape when human needs, regenerative material cycles and design precision intersect. In a working world that is constantly evolving, carpet collections support this transition and help create spaces where different generations can thrive for decades to come. Together, these solutions provide a holistic foundation for future-ready workplace environments, brought together by modulyss.