WHAT'S UP Blog

Hybrid work environments require new answers to one essential need: concentration. Instead of clearly separated rooms, workplaces today are evolving into finely layered environments where focus and interaction can coexist. Micro focus spaces such as se:cove demonstrate how retreat without isolation can be integrated directly into open-plan settings — creating a new balance between concentrated work and togetherness.

Open-plan workplaces promote transparency, interaction, and dynamic exchange. Yet the more open they become, the clearer the need for retreat emerges - not as an opposite, but as a necessary complement.

Sustained focus cannot thrive amid constant noise. With digital stimuli and conversations competing for attention, every interruption carries a cognitive cost, making deep concentration harder to regain - especially in open environments.

The question, then, is no longer whether retreat is needed, but how it can be designed without compromising openness.

Modern workplaces operate in a constant tension between concentration, collaboration and regeneration. While open layouts encourage interaction, they often make it difficult to retreat when focus is needed. What is required are systems that create zones without building barriers – flexible, scalable and driven by use. 

se:hive addresses this challenge with a modular room-in-room concept that brings balance to open environments. Freely positioned, acoustically effective, and highly configurable, it enables a range of work modes to coexist within a cohesive design language.

Long conversations need space. Not only in a metaphorical sense, but quite literally within the physical environment. While traditional meeting rooms are often designed for efficiency and structure, the most valuable dialogues tend to emerge in settings where atmosphere, comfort, and a sense of retreat come together.

This is precisely where soft seating comes into play - introducing a new quality of interaction in the workplace.

At first glance, se:cove appears to be a comfortable, inviting lounge chair — soft in form, clear in design and highly versatile. Yet behind its residential aesthetic lies an intensive development process in which sustainability was considered from the very beginning.

We spoke with Niklas Flum, Sustainability Specialist at Sedus, about how much sustainability work truly goes into se:cove, which levers are decisive — and why sustainability extends far beyond questions of materials.

In hybrid working environments, digital and physical forms of work merge into a dynamic whole – with constantly changing requirements for spaces, users and tasks. "Focused work as a scarce resource" has become a central issue: according to Sedus INSIGHTS N° 20, modern working environments must not only promote interaction and exchange, but above all enable targeted concentration. Open-plan spaces need differentiated zones that help employees choose the right place for their respective tasks. This means less rigid departments and more sensory and functionally coordinated zoning of the space.

With se:cove, Sedus expands its portfolio with a sculptural lounge chair that combines retreat, comfort and sustainable construction. We spoke with industrial designer Konstantin Thomas about the development process, the design ambition and the structural principles behind the product.

Why focus depends on energy levels – and how spaces enable micro-breaks and movement.

For decades, productivity was primarily organised around time: working hours, meetings scheduled, utilisation rates. Yet in today’s hybrid working reality, it is becoming increasingly clear that time alone is no longer a reliable metric. What truly matters is not how long we work, but with how much energy we bring to those hours.

Sedus INSIGHTS Nº 20 highlights why concentration is not a matter of discipline or scheduling, but closely linked to individual energy levels – and what role work environments play in supporting them.

Open working environments stand for exchange, transparency and dynamism. At the same time, studies and everyday experience show that noise, visual stimuli and a lack of places for retreat are among the biggest productivity killers in the office. The solution lies not in choosing between openness and isolation, but in intelligent intermediate zones. Textile retreats such as se:hive demonstrate how acoustics and privacy can be used as levers to enhance wellbeing and focus.

For years, open working environments have been synonymous with exchange, transparency and collaboration. They promote interaction, accelerate communication and strengthen corporate culture. At the same time, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that openness alone is not enough. Concentrated work – the basis for quality, clarity and productivity – requires protection, quiet and control over the immediate environment.

In open-plan work environments, it is not only what is placed in a space that matters, but how it is perceived from different perspectives. Furniture becomes a spatial element: it structures areas, guides movement, shapes sightlines and subtly influences behaviour. This is exactly where the dual design of se:cove comes into play. 
The lounge chair has two clearly defined “faces”: an open, inviting front and a strong, structured back. This contrast is not incidental, but a deliberate design decision – and a valuable tool for spatial planning.

Open spaces need character - but not noise. In today’s modern work environments, work cafés, and hybrid zones, the goal is no longer simply to fill square metres, but to create atmosphere. With se:cove, Sedus enters a new era of soft seating: a lounge chair that makes a sculptural statement while offering exactly what open-plan spaces demand today - calm, retreat, and presence. 

Touch displays are now an integral part of our everyday lives – we swipe, tap and navigate intuitively through digital interfaces. It was precisely this user behaviour that prompted the development of the new touch display for se:cube and se:cube max. In this interview, Sedus product manager Nike Alberts provides insights into the development process, the idea behind them and the added value for modern working environments.

Sometimes it’s not the big gestures that make a space special, but the feeling that stays with you: welcoming, calm, open. That is exactly what the Sedus Hub Hamburg is. A place where you don’t just see furniture, but experience what modern workplaces feel like - authentic, connecting, and closely aligned with everyday working life.

Yes, the Hub is a showroom. But more importantly, it is an anchor point in the north: a place to come together, exchange ideas, learn and plan. You sense this immediately - because hospitality here isn’t an extra, it’s part of the concept.

As the modern workplace continues to evolve, spaces that are more than merely functional are growing in importance - spaces that inspire, connect and invite people to linger. Work cafés fulfil exactly this role: fostering interaction, offering retreats and encouraging creativity. Yet not every work café is identical. Depending on use and ambience, different spatial typologies - or archetypes - offer guidance for design.

In partnership with the agency Zukunftstil, Sedus has identified four such archetypes: Hub, Club, Library and Garden. Each embodies a distinct atmosphere and addresses specific needs. When combined with suitable furniture, colour palettes and flexible modules, a work café emerges that is not simply visually appealing, but feels like a second home.

Design that matters. Values that endure. In 2025, Sedus reaffirms its position as a forward-thinking leader in workspace solutions – with six new products that have received international acclaim for combining sustainability, functionality and exceptional design. Recognised by both the iF Design Award and the Red Dot Award, these solutions reflect a holistic design philosophy built on responsibility and relevance.

The new touch display for the se:cube and se:cube max room-in-room solutions is an extension that makes operating the lighting and ventilation much easier and more intuitive. The colour temperature lighting, adapted to the daylight curve, also contributes to greater well-being and productivity in the office.

The office is more than just a workplace - it is a space for creativity, productivity and well-being. With its new colours and materials, Sedus brings a breath of fresh air and functionality to modern working environments. With the latest updates, office furnishings can be designed to be both inspiring and conducive to productivity.

The quarterback 2 marks the start of a new era for a proven classic. As a further development of the quarterback, it offers even more flexibility and adaptability - for a perfect balance of ergonomics, design and functionality. Thanks to a well thought-out modular system, the chair can be ideally customised for different areas of use and individual requirements.

In the modern working world, quality, design and functionality are decisive factors for the design of management offices. se:vision desk combines all these aspects and offers a high-quality workstation with optional storage space, se:vision storage. The combination of the prestigious desk and the elegant storage element creates a harmonious unit that supports both classic and modern management concepts.