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A next-gen office inspired by Japanese bars

Note designs Stockholm space for tech consultancy Samsen

Stockholm – In response to the realities of flexible working arrangements, digital technology consultancy Samsen has unveiled a lifestyle-driven workspace which takes inspiration from Japanese hospitality venues. The Samsen Atelier, by design agency Note Design Studio, intentionally avoids a conventional office feel through interiors that mimic wine bars. Created for both work and leisure, the adaptive space provides a communal environment for Samsen employees.

By offering an alternative workspace that prioritises employee wellbeing and relationships, Samsen recognises the need to accommodate its staff beyond practical elements. ‘The whole idea is to offer employees something different and add real value besides going to work every day,’ says Susanna Wåhlin, interior architect at Note Design Studio. Following on from the ideas we explore in Reworking the Workplace, businesses are faced with the challenge of creating work environments that respond to concerns about health, productivity and employee satisfaction.

While many companies have adopted to remote or flexible operations since the beginning of the pandemic, future workplaces have an opportunity to create such adaptable spaces that better facilitate interpersonal connections.

Strategic opportunity

Businesses looking to create alternative workspaces should consider the interests of employees to design bespoke environments that meet their personal, social and professional needs.

The Drinks Drop boxes up bar-quality cocktails

The Drinks Drop Bag-in-box Sharing Cocktails, UK

London & Manchester – Cocktail delivery service The Drinks Drop is helping bars to reach at-home audiences through the launch of its bag-in-box sharing cocktails. Coming as part of a partnership with six bars in London and Manchester, the service benefits drinks venues by providing them with a percentage of the sales profits.

With consumer drinking habits increasingly taking on different formats, The XX Box concept, as it is called, tunes into the ongoing behaviours we explore in Home Eatertainment. Within this trend, we identify the idea of Leisurely Libations – highlighting a behavioural shift towards more relaxed and personal at-home drinking experiences.

And while this service echoes some of the initiatives we explored in our Virtual Happy Hours microtrend, changing mindsets around outdoor and in-person drinking suggests a promising future for bar-quality packaged drinks. The Drinks Drop shows how bars can maintain connections with audiences who are more hesitant about returning to physical venues, while also providing recovering hospitality venues with new revenue streams.

Strategic opportunity

Leisure and hospitality venues should get creative with the ways they offer products and services, recognising that they can connect with more diverse audiences through takeaway formats and delivery options

Lululemon captures carbon to create eco-friendly fabrics

US – Activewear brand Lululemon is partnering with biotechnology company LanzaTech to recycle carbon emissions into yarn and fabric, as part of its ongoing environmental efforts. Recognising the need to create products in a more sustainable and less harmful way, this circular innovation makes use of waste gases to avoid reliance on virgin fossil fuels.

This collaboration comes at a time when the need for sustainable material innovation is paramount for fashion and luxury companies. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO, LanzaTech says: ‘Carbon recycling enables companies like Lululemon to continue to move away from virgin fossil resources, bring circularity to their products, and achieve their climate change goals around carbon reduction.’ Already, we’ve identified how companies like Pangaia are redirecting pollutants to reduce material impact and actively benefit the environment.

For Lululemon, this step towards more eco-conscious production should provide an example to the wider activewear sector – an industry that is heavily responsible for the generation of micro-plastics. To discover more, look out for our upcoming microtrend on Bio-based Activewear.

Lululemon, US

Strategic opportunity

Apparel brands can take cues from this innovation and partner with biotechnology specialists to reduce their material impact. This could begin with smaller design elements such as carbon capture ink or fastenings made from emissions

Stat: Global gaming audiences are increasingly diverse

Jimi Jimi by ZucZug and Zebu, China

Global interest in gaming is on the rise as a result of widespread mobile adoption. According to a report on the games market by Accenture, this is leading to a diversification of target consumers across regions and demographics.

Its country-specific findings show that almost half (47%) of all gamers globally come from China, Japan, the US and the UK – and account for 64% of all direct consumer spending on gaming. The study also notes that gaming’s popularity is surging in Latin America, the Middle East and many Southeast Asian countries with a mobile-first profile. Interestingly, increased mobile adoption is also leading to a greater gender balance in the sector, with the research showing that there are nearly as many female gamers (46%) as there are male (52%).

Gaming companies should target communications, products and services in these countries and audiences – while being aware of different regional nuances. This surge in gaming is also bolstering opportunities in new Alternet Economies.

Strategic opportunity

Media, technology and entertainment companies should capitalise on this growing global demand for gaming experiences and target new audiences through a mobile-first approach