The biennial ORGATEC trade fair, held at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, has been a staple of the international design world for decades – and key to its longevity is the organisers’ ability to reinvent the format of the fair to keep it relevant and engaging.

The 2024 edition, which was held from 22nd to 25th October, featured 729 exhibitors from 40 countries, and attracted more than 50,000 visitors in a re-structured hall layout with ‘Focus Areas’ arranged around new trends in the workplace – from the circular economy to augmented reality and hybrid workspaces. The event also hosted the inaugural Work Culture Festival, which was held in collaboration with IBA and featured more than 100 international speakers from the fields of architecture, design, New Work and trend research.

“This year’s edition of ORGATEC has been the best ever,” says Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse. “Together with the IBA, we’ve transformed the event into a dynamic, topic-centred hub that both informs and inspires. ORGATEC doubles as the business festival for the future of work and shows what the trade fairs of the future could look like: path-defining, experience-focused and highly efficient.”

Pedrali

Italian furniture brand Pedrali showcased its vision for an agile and dynamic workplace in its #PedraliColoursofLightness stand, which was designed by Milan-based DWA Design Studio. Six different scenes were created within the sky-blue architecture – including an office setting highlighting the new Arki Table-Desk, and a conference room showing the new Laja 2 collection of chairs by Alessandro Busana in context. Additionally, the ten-year anniversary of the Plural seating collection by Jorge Pensi Design Studio was celebrated with the release of Plural Soft – an upholstered version of the celebrated minimalist design.

Molo

2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Canadian brand Molo, and the company is celebrating by releasing its popular Softwall and Softblock ranges in limited-edition colours inspired by nature. The exhibition space at ORGATEC was constructed using the sculptural, flexible partitions with the new forest green colour set against a backdrop of soft grey to create a striking colour blocking effect.

NORR11

NORR11 exhibited at ORGATEC for the first time this year, and their debut was defined by a display of innovative workplace furniture in an on-trend colour palette, alongside three new launches: the Boho Chair and Fave Chair – both of which took inspiration from the Seventies and Eighties – and the playful Tilt Table, all by Kristian Sofus Hansen and Tommy Hyldahl.

Muuto

Muuto showcased collections that blend a softer, more residential aesthetic with the functionality and versatility of workplace furniture – an approach the Danish brand has become well known for. A highlight was the updated Linear System, which now includes a high table suitable for spontaneous short meetings, a slimmer version of the standard table, and a wider version designed for conference rooms. We also loved the new colours and accessories for the Stacked Storage System, which include a seat cushion to transform the shelving system into a cosy break-out nook.

Haworth

Haworth was a major presence at this year’s ORGATEC, defining a new vision for the future of the workplace with a stand in the main hall, an off-site location titled the Haworth Warehouse Experience, and a series of break-out sessions, panel discussions and workshop zones in the ORGATEC ‘Library’. The brand also debuted four new products, including YourPlace Echo, a mobile, height-adjustable desk that can be used in dynamic work settings.

Humanscale

At Humanscale, the focus was on bringing eco-conscious solutions together with human wellbeing. The exhibition highlighted this through two key concepts – ‘Ergonomics Everywhere’ and ‘Planet Positive’ – explored across various zones and in a variety of new products. Highlights included the Diffrient Lounge Chair by Niels Diffrient, the ergonomic Sedeo bar stool by Don Chadwick, and the Float collection of height-adjustable tables.

Dauphin

The Dauphin exhibition stand featured playfully staged settings united under the theme ‘Dauphin Workheart – Wonderworld.’ The space was divided into three distinct zones – Me, Team, and Family – reflecting different kinds of social interaction in the workplace, from “super private to super social.” Each setting was furnished with different versions of the brand’s Indeed chair, showcasing the versatility of the collection.

ORGATEC
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More on ORGATEC 2024 here