How to design a space that is as flexible as we are

The at-home-workplace

Many people have experienced it: working at the kitchen table with the whole family. Separating work and private life is a day job in itself. How nice would it be to be able to close off a room in a beautiful way one moment and then enjoy the house again with the whole family?

Even before working from home became the norm, architects made beautiful designs with FritsJurgens pivot hinges to optimize living and working in one place. For example, Ernst Hoek designed a double bookcase with FritsJurgens’ System M, which made it possible to separate the living room from the workspace without compromising functionality.

These steel cabinets look like a solid wall when closed. The functionality of the cabinet has entirely transcended the idea of a passage. It is an aesthetic and functional solution; the solution’s ingenuity surprises everyone who visits.

Flexible living

Flexible space at home is not only practical when working. Designing and creating a flexible home increases the joy of living for all individual residents. For example, Standard Studio designed a pivoting wall with FritsJurgens’ System 3, with a TV on one side and a bookcase on the other.

Behind the wall is a play area for the children that can also be used as a guest room when people are visiting. You can play and watch TV to your heart’s content, while on the other side, in the kitchen, you can work or dine in peace. Have the toys been cleaned up and the dishes done? Then the entire wall can be opened. And if there is no more energy for that, it can just stay closed.

Clever design on 40m²

Not only large homes with open spaces lend themselves to flexible room dividers. Smaller homes and studios in particular benefit enormously from a convenient layout of the available square meters. When living, working, and sleeping takes place in practically the same room, it is very nice – even when you live alone – to be able to change your space easily.

A flexible studio such as this can be found in St. Petersburg. SL Project Architectural Bureau designed a space where the bedroom can be separated from the living area thanks to five pivot doors containing FritsJurgens’ System M pivot system.

These pivot doors can all be opened and closed individually, thanks to the hold positions at 0, 90, and -90 degrees. The atmosphere and functionality of the space are thus entirely in the occupant’s hands and can be adjusted with just a touch.

From open-plan office to individual workplaces

The importance of a pleasant workplace has become abundantly clear in the past year. Many office buildings need a renovation to offer as many employees as possible a comfortable and safe workplace at the same time.

Besides, it is also convenient to make spaces as flexible as possible. Flexible room dividers transform a meeting room into an open-plan office or even individual workplaces.

In order to create workplaces that also provide peace and concentration, it is essential to be able to close off areas properly. In the NNZ office building, you find large open spaces that are easy to close thanks to glass steel pivot doors with FritsJurgens’ System M pivot hinges.

Interior architect and owner of BuroBulder, Marjan Bulder:

“The vision was to work in open-plan offices in an open, transparent, and friendly environment. Communication is important. The glass steel pivot doors support openness and transparency. Where and when you deem it necessary, you can close those doors for more privacy, noise reduction, and tranquility.”

Flexible handling of public space

Public spaces are pre-eminently used multi-functionally. The flexible division of spaces can be done here through a row of pivoting walls, especially if it concerns ample space.

In this tennis center, a row of soundproof pivot doors with FritsJurgens’ System 3 has been used to divide the reception area of the sports club to hold, for example, conferences. This way tennis players can use the canteen while a meeting is taking place in the adjacent room.

Short- and long-term solutions

FritsJurgens’ pivot systems are suitable for flexible room dividers in both the short and long term. Each system is quick and easy to install without structural modifications to the floor and ceiling. This makes the systems suitable for all existing situations, both in homes and office buildings and in public spaces.

FritsJurgens is also suitable for use in flexible room separators in the long term. Each system is made from the highest quality materials. The systems last more than a million movements — the equivalent of 136 years of daily use.

Flexible systems for flexible designers

The choice for the right FritsJurgens pivot system for your design depends on the placement of the pivot point, the space divider’s weight, and the functionalities that the space divider should have.

System 3 is ideally suited for 360-degree rotating walls. This system has multiple hold positions and closes automatically, providing control over the door movement and the impact on the space.

System M is an ideal choice for side installation, for example, for a double revolving bookcase. This system provides complete control over every door movement, and this movement can also be set according to preference.

Choosing the right pivot system for your specific design is made easy with FritsJurgens Selector. This online tool converts information about your design into the best possible choice.

There’s work to be done

From working from home at the kitchen table to a conference at one moment and a quiet workplace the next – there is work to be done. For optimal living and working comfort, our spaces have to become just as flexible as we ourselves turn out to be.

It starts with a good design. Whether you go for a pivoting wall or a hidden passage: flexible, pivoting room dividers offer the flexibility we are looking for today.