DEAR READER,
WHAT DO WE MEAN WHEN WE SAY “THE FUTURE”? IS IT ONE MINUTE FROM NOW? TOMORROW? NEXT
YEAR? TWENTY YEARS? LIKEWISE, WHAT IS AN OFFICE? A PLACE TO WORK? TO EARN MONEY? TO CON-
NECT WITH COLLEAGUES? WHAT IS THE ROLE OF AN OFFICE WHEN WE WORK EVERYWHERE, FROM AIR-
PORT LOUNGES TO OUR KITCHEN TABLES?
IF WE LOOK AT THE OFFICE IN COMPARISON TO A HALF-CENTURY AGO, NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED. SURE,
MAYBE WE DRESS MORE CASUALLY, BUT MANY STILL GO TO A WORKPLACE, LABOUR FOR EIGHT HOURS
AT ASSIGNED DESKS, TAKE BREAKS WITH A CUP OF COFFEE, AND ARE ENCOURAGED, ABOVE ALL, TO BE
PRODUCTIVE. WHAT HAS CHANGED, AND IMMENSELY, IS THE WAY WE COMMUNICATE, THE GEOGRAPH-
ICAL LOCATION OF OUR COLLABORATORS AND THE MACHINERY THAT MAKES IT POSSIBLE.
MANY OF THE DESIGNERS, WRITERS, ARCHITECTS, THINKERS, TRANSLATORS AND VISIONARIES THAT
COLLABORATED TO PRODUCE WORKSPIRIT PROBABLY DON’T THINK OF THEMSELVES AS OFFICE WORKERS
OF THE FUTURE, BUT AS THIS ISSUE CAME TOGETHER, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT WE ARE. WE WORK
FROM HOME AND AN OFFICE, WE RELY PROFOUNDLY ON TECHNOLOGY AND MANY OF OUR WORKSPACES
ARE OPEN, WITH MEETINGS ON COUCHES, MUSIC PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND, AND DISCUSSIONS
TAKING PLACE OVER SKYPE, ON DESKS / WORKBENCHES (OFTEN) SHARED WITH OUR BOSSES, AND
OVER OUR SOCIAL NETWORKS. WE REPLY TO E-MAILS ON THE MORNING TRAIN, CHANGE LOCATIONS TO
CHANGE PERSPECTIVE WHEN WRESTLING WITH CREATIVE OBSTACLES, AND RESPOND TO EACH OTHERS
QUERIES AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT. WE DON’T EXPECT OUR EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE US
WITH COMPUTERS – WE’VE BROUGHT OUR OWN – WE ONLY ASK THAT THEY SUPPLY THE NETWORK AND
CAST A SOLID TEAM OF PLAYERS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ALTHOUGH SOLITARY CONCENTRATION IS ES-
SENTIAL, THE EFFORT IS COLLABORATIVE.
WORKSPIRIT IS ABOUT JUST THAT – THE SPIRIT OF CONTEMPORARY WORK. IT SEES THE OFFICE AS A
PLACE WHERE WE CHOOSE TO COME TOGETHER, ENGAGING IN COLLABORATIONS BOTH MINOR AND MA-
JOR AS WE PASS THROUGH THE WORKPLACE. AFTER ALL, IT IS THROUGH THESE CONNECTIONS THAT WE
EXCHANGE THE IDEAS THAT WILL BRING ABOUT THE FUTURE OUTSIDE OUR FOUR WALLS.
CHRISTIANE BÖRDNER & MARCUS GAAB
