Beyond Design

A New Trend: The Standing Desk

October 14, 2011

Design trends are constantly changing. Most recently there has been a trend in the workplace, beginning with workers at Google and Facebook, of standing while working. Whether the motivation stems from medical reports claiming that sitting all day leads to major health risks or because workers who stand feel more focused, energized, and productive, standing desks are on the rise.

Most people interested in testing the standing desk are finding it difficult to find a model that isn’t too complicated, cumbersome, or expensive. Some have even resorted to creating clever (and not so clever) desks of their own.

After researching standing desks, there is quite a range between adjustable desks with motors, ones attached to treadmills and other aerobic devices, and ones with multiple arms and surfaces. But what is really missing is the sleek, standing desk with great design. So far, the clear front runner is the extendable Giraffe desk shown below.

“Earlier this year, realizing that he needed a standing desk in his home office, David designed and had built an acrylic desk-top unit that solved his problem and saved the built-in decor of his office. Upon seeing the unit David’s son’s convinced him to market it and Jared, the younger, named it a giraffe since they spend their lives on their feet. The product is human scaled, ecologically friendly and a healthy life style choice.”
—www.shopgiraffe.com

If these standing desks are here to stay, hopefully we’ll be seeing better models soon. It definitely creates a design opportunity for all furniture designers following the newest trends. Until then, we’ll continue using our sitting desks here at Beyond Design! You can check out more stories on this trend from Core77 and The Wall Street Journal.

Written By: Caitlin Bragg, Administrative Assistant