Balance: A Revolutionary Approach to Workspace Design

Designers Hernan Gregorio and Julia Stabio Merge Digital Interfaces with Tangible Experience

The idea behind Balance is to create a hybrid user experience that combines the connectivity and structure of the digital environment with the visual and physical experience of products. The result is a multi-functional work and desk manager that inspires a more organized, personalized, and productive work experience. The product consists of a canvas and six types of modules (Surface, White Board, Cork, Kanban, Time, and Shelf) that attach magnetically to the canvas. Users can choose the modules and materials that best suit their personality, work style, and aesthetic preference, and combine them to enable productivity techniques such as Kanban and Pomodoro.

Balance is made out of high-impact polystyrene and powder-coated steel, creating a rigid, magnetic, and durable surface for the modules. The modules are made of injection-molded HDPE, granting an adequate rigidity for the structure, softness to the touch, and satin finish. Other alternatives are made of walnut, oak, and cork. Some finishes use special magnetic paint, providing a magnetic and marker-friendly writing surface.

The design process for Balance was a meticulous one, beginning in March 2020 and concluding in December of the same year. The team conducted extensive research into the personality, work environments, and workflows of various people in their respective jobs, as well as a variety of productivity and work management techniques. They also analyzed different physical and digital interfaces to understand what products were more effective, easy to use, and easy to understand for the user. The outcomes of the research led to the main characteristics of the product such as flexibility, organization, modularity, ease of use, and personalization.

One of the major challenges in designing Balance was capturing the nature and simplicity of digital interfaces. A significant amount of models and prototypes helped shape the final form and modular aspect of the design in search of the right proportions and interaction with the user. Another important aspect was the creation and integration of physical products that allow the use of productivity techniques and processes otherwise intangible.

The Balance design is a testament to the innovation and creativity of designers Hernan Gregorio and Julia Stabio. Their work has not only earned them the Silver A' Office Furniture Design Award in 2021 but has also revolutionized the way we think about workspace design. By merging the digital with the physical, they have created a product that is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and customizable to individual needs and preferences.