Living Office Hub

A Living Office is a high-performing workplace that delivers an elevated experience of work for people, and helps organizations achieve their strategic goals. Before the Living Office concept was, um, living… out there in the world – it was a conceptual touchstone and organizing principle for how Herman Miller’s kit of workplace parts could be organized to provide the most benefit and also respond to shifting workplace demands. The Living Office operating system was put to its most practical use by Herman Miller’s team of workplace strategists. 

As the Global A+D Lead at Herman Miller, I saw an opportunity to put this research and insight into the hands of the design community to strengthen the relationship the respected manufacturer had with this influential group. I was part of a team that formalized the concept digitally, providing an outpost for ideas, imagery, and innovations under the Living Office banner.

Not only did this hub play host to a robust library of Living Office content, it also served as a hardworking microsite to generate qualified sales leads born from corresponding creative campaign work. In the first three months following the launch of the Living Office Hub, inbound inquiries from the architecture and design community increased by more than, 4,000%. 

Following the launch of the Living Office Hub, one challenge that presented itself was helping the design community understand how these somewhat heady placemaking principles could be applied to their own practice. Designers, ever protective about their work, can be a tough audience when even the most storied of furniture manufacturers tries their hand at lite workplace strategy cosplay.

Rooted in a belief that the sales and marketing strategy should be one in the same, my team conceived of a toolbox for Herman Miller salespeople and A+D Reps could use to educate the architecture and design community on the topic with an approachable and open-minded spirit.

Collaborating with Herman Miller’s internal design studio, we built a series of presentations titled: Furnishing a Living Office. These presentations helped to cultivate a dialogue among Herman Miller and practicing interior architects. More than just a guidebook, the decks also focused on trending design considerations like privacy, acoustics, and policy. 

Launched in early 2016, the Living Office Hub is still up and working hard at hermanmiller.com.