High-tech or "high technology" (translated from English) as a design style appeared relatively recently - in the late 70s of the 20th century. It was the time of the dominance of constructivism, the main aspect of which was the maximum convenience and functionality of the premises.
It was in the 70s that the active development of technical directions began, pop art and science fiction reigned in art, which in the context gave rise to a new direction in design, which became an alternative and challenge to all established traditions.
Today, choosing a high-tech office design means demonstrating the company's success, commitment to the latest technological solutions and developments.
Among other things, an office decorated in this stylistic direction guarantees employees unconditional convenience, ergonomics, orderliness, and reasonable use of the workspace.
Basic principles of style
The high-tech interior has recognizable features that allow it not to be confused with any other design solutions:
A high-tech office simply abounds in the presence of right angles, perfectly flat, shiny surfaces, which allows you to "hide" behind them a variety of built-in furniture, appliances. Some designers call this style "complicated simplicity".
On a note! The abundance of metal, plastic, glass makes it possible to sometimes call the high-tech industrial style, to which natural materials are categorically contraindicated.
They are either abandoned altogether, or brought to such an extent that the tree begins to look outwardly like metal.
If the office is set up in a room where there is concrete or brickwork, it is not repaired, but left in its original form, which is another reference to the "industry" style. Hi-tech simply "adores" sliding partitions, designs for which either plastic or frosted glass with a metal finish is used. If we talk about lighting, then in such an office will be dominated by built-in lamps, spotlights, LED lighting of furniture (lower part), podiums, niches.
A riot of colors and high technology are incompatible! Therefore, high-tech offices are decorated in four primary colors, and better generally in black and white. But such offices are replete with a metallic sheen, transparency, gray dullness. If paintings are supposed to be placed on the walls, then they should be exclusively black and white and abstract.
A high-tech office should be as computerized as possible, automated, stuffed with sensors, panels, sensors. Therefore, this style is considered, despite its seeming simplicity, one of the most expensive: its adherents invest not in gold, antiques and natural materials, but in ultra-modern technologies, which only super successful companies and corporations can do.
High-tech office interiors
Despite the laconicism combined with simplicity, the interiors of high-tech offices are distinguished by an impressive variety. This can be achieved by many modern innovative materials, layouts, furniture structures, as well as lighting systems of different complexity. And the dominant black-and-white palette actually has an impressive tint spectrum in terms of the number of options.
On a note! Externally, high-tech office design is glass, metal, plastic, artificial stone, granite.
All metal elements in decoration, fittings, furniture structures must necessarily have a chrome sheen. The frames of sofas, chairs, tables, shelves should include plastic, pure metal and alloys, upholstery - leatherette. Everything in the office must have perfectly flat surfaces. When it comes to glass, it is always matte or tinted.
A high-tech office in every sense does not tolerate disorder, chaos, clutter, in other words, disorder and disobedience to perfectionism. Everything should be perfect, adjusted to the millimeter, exactly, definitely, functional.
There should be no paper blockages, hanging wires, accessories and items not needed for work, as well as dull surfaces. Among other things, one should not forget that the outer metal-plastic gloss must necessarily correspond to the "smart" filling. It is impossible to imagine a high-tech office where employees would use bills, lamp TVs or outdated computer equipment in their work.
It has already been said above about what should be present in an ultra-modern office.
It would be appropriate to indicate what categorically should not be in the design of such an office. This is about:
Doors and window frames for high-tech are made exclusively of plastic, metal and glass, or wood must be processed to a state of complete external identity with plastic. Wallpaper, even if it is perfectly white, is prohibited for such an office.
Concrete, brick, granite, panels, tiles should take their place on the walls. Sometimes it is customary to paint and varnish concrete and brick. Curtains and curtains on the windows, as well as carpets on the floor, are the true enemies of high-tech.
Blinds of various designs should hang in their place. For the floor, self-leveling compounds, tiles (always with a glossy sheen), laminate of the corresponding metallic shade can be used.
Furniture and light
Furniture structures and lighting are something without which a high-tech office cannot be considered a success. Moreover, lighting is just as important a point as form, organization of space, technology.
The office space should be very well lit, while the use of several types of lamps is encouraged - built-in (including in furniture), built-in, suspended on brackets, autonomously installed, with narrowly directed or diffused streams.
At the same time, the placement of light accents on some lines and planes with the help of strip LED backlights is encouraged.
High-tech furniture must comply with the latest technological solutions. This also applies to various innovative materials and functions. Tables, for example, are very often equipped with television or computer monitors, touch control panels.
Furniture should be ergonomic, comfortable, really necessary. Multifunctional transformer models, sliding, built-in structures, including those controlled from the remote control, are welcome.
On a note! Glass racks, armchairs with bent metal frames, chairs on wheels, shelves that retract into the walls, modular sofas with artificial upholstery that exclude fabric and suede are the main elements of this style of furniture.
In this case, the color of the upholstery should be monochromatic, but not at all pale. Bright color spots in high-tech are possible if they do not cause a general tint dissonance.
