Every Space is a Learning Space

HON knows learning doesn’t begin and end in the classroom.  From the front office to the classroom – and every opportunity in between – we craft the products that inspire, engage and connect the ways in which students learn.

Giving students the tools they need is all about getting them in the right zone.  HON has developed a concept of 4- and 6-zone classroom environments that include multiple types of furniture arrangements and the flexibility to reconfigure quickly to adapt to different learning styles.

4-Zone
Setting up a four-zone classroom puts the instructor in more control over the peer-to-peer sharing of information and positions the environment to respond to inevitable change.  All four zones can be swapped and moved to support any learning activity.

6-Zone
A classroom with six distinct zones provides a variety of environments suited to different teaching and learning styles – supporting everything from attentive group focus to active areas for experimentation and idea-sharing.

In today’s classroom, the teacher is now a facilitator rather than an instructor and these zones help create the environments to support this change.  The key aspects to a zone classroom are flexibility, mobility and reconfigurability.  We can’t predict how the progressive classroom will continue to evolve and change, so we have decided to create spaces that have the flexibility to adapt to all the changes.  Below are some additional examples on how our 4- and 6-zone classrooms can be reconfigured to adapt to different learning and teaching styles.

A classroom atmosphere that keeps students’ attention is the ultimate goal, because it helps with communication and retention.  HON Learning collections embrace 21^st century paradigm shifts in education to support a variety of spaces, pedagogies and technologies. At the end of the day, learning should be fun!

For more information about trends in classroom design and learning solutions from HON, visit hon.com/learning.

View HON’s K-12 Learning brochure here.
View HON’s Higher Education brochure here.

The Story of HON Learning

When you think of HON, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it’s our task seating. Maybe you know HON from the old days where our strongest suit was steel filing. Or, perhaps you are familiar with how we got started making recipe card boxes post World War II. If education furniture wasn’t something that popped into your head, you might be surprised to hear that HON has a very robust collection of learning solutions – a perfect example of our inspired practicality story. Take a look below at some of the ways HON has the right products for every space, every student and every type of learning.

More Than Just Desks
Today’s classrooms are not the classrooms of yesteryear. With the passing of each academic year, more and more emphasis is placed on collaboration and integrating new learning techniques for today’s youth, from kindergarten classrooms all the way to up to higher education facilities. HON doesn’t just have student desks to have student desks; we conducted extensive research to better understand how teachers teach and students learn to create innovative, quality products that are affordable. Build™ is a perfect example of that: height-adjustable activity tables in 12 unique shapes that can be broken out for individual learning, or can be joined together for interaction. Pair that with our industry-leading laminate desks for administrators, comfortable task chairs for teachers that won’t break the bank, and Smartlink® or Motivate® chairs that are specifically designed with students in mind, and you’re looking at a one-stop shopping learning solution. (Check out the new Motivate Counter-Height Stool , designed to meet multiple-height seating needs in learning and commercial applications.)

Beyond the Classroom
Collaboration extends well beyond the classroom as well. Lounge spaces require access to power to meet the needs of today’s technology-dependent world. Enter Grove®: not only does it provide a comfortable and active posture to encourage productivity, but it also incorporates a table to give you the option of tablet arms, a powered grommet or pop-up port. It’s the perfect fix for anyone who needs to charge their phone while they talk about a project, or juice up their laptop as they race to the finish on a homework deadline. Solutions like Grove and Flock® are also great for previously unused spaces, like hallways, to add additional study and collaborative areas for students. (COMING SOON: An exciting expansion to the Flock collaborative collection.)

Designed with Learning in Mind
For instances where you need a traditional primary or secondary education classroom solution, SmartLink provides the answer you need. Looking for both sitting- and standing-height student desks? SmartLink has you covered, offering fixed, adjustable, and sit-to-stand options, along with chairs in varying sizes and five chair heights ranging from 6”-18” to fit all students K-12. And, it doesn’t sacrifice innovation. The desks can be easily reconfigured in a variety of ways to accommodate different learning solutions. Last but not least, SmartLink also features unique storage that allows teachers to keep their classrooms organized—not an easy feat, as some would undoubtedly attest to. The unique design allows you to slide storage bins from the track integrated under the desktop to a lockable storage cabinet, so there’s a place for everything and everything is always in its place.  (Be sure to check out the latest SmartLink additions, including 14″H and 16″H Cantilever chairs as well as a 6″H chair which supports reading circle-style active learning.)

These are just a few ways that HON can be leveraged in the education arena —share your HON learning stories with us in the comments below!

Visit our Learning Spotlight Page on hon.com and download our K-12 and Higher Education Learning brochures to learn more today!

Build™: A New Table for a New Day in the Workplace

If you took all of the different table lines that manufacturers had to offer and lined them up end to end, I would venture to say you could reach the moon and back more than a few times. The great news is that you only need one table line when it comes to finding the perfect fit for your office – the new Build table series from HON.

The Building Blocks of a Great Table:

Adaptability
In a society where millennials are quickly becoming the prevailing majority in the workforce, you need a table that will fit the work style of the millennial, the baby boomer, and something for when the two come together. Here are just four different ways you can use Build™ tables in today’s workplace:

1. Commons: Group a few together in the commons area for impromptu one-on-one meetings, group discussions, and everything in between.
2. Breakout: Integrate them into workstation areas to give employees a breakout meeting area without having to completely relocate.
3. Training: Use them in a training room, and rearrange as needed to accommodate any size group or any type of training.
4. Focused: Take advantage of unused nooks and smaller spaces in the office to give employees the opportunity to find a little quiet time.

Aesthetic
One of the oldest sayings in the book is that you never get a second chance to make a first impression. That’s equally true for what your office furniture says about you to your employees and visitors alike. Odds are, you’re going to want something that has a classic look without being overly outdated or staid.

Build™ offers not only 26 standard laminate options and 14 edge options, but also two different leg finishes, casters or glides and five unique and interchangeable table top shapes.

Feeling traditional? Pair a couple of rectangular tables in a classic woodgrain finish together for a mobile conference room. Want something a little more unique? Arrange six of the new kite tables in Pomegranate or Blue Agave laminate for a floral-inspired group setting.

Attention to Detail
Like all HON products, Build™ was designed with the end user in mind. Inspired by practicality, HON created a table that could be used alone, or mixed and matched with others to create a space that is completely new. It includes height adjustability from 25” to 34” so that it fits just right for any individual. And of course, it’s backed by the HON Full Lifetime Warranty, so you can rest easy knowing that you and your purchase are covered.

How would you use HON’s new Build tables in your space?

 

“Build” A Better Workspace With HON’s Newest Tables

Today’s workspaces are constantly changing, and with HON’s new Build™ Tables, users can create a space that works for them. Build makes it easy for shared spaces to be reconfigured multiple times a day and accommodates an infinite number of settings. Five fun shapes and twenty-four laminate choices make it compatible with any room.

For Learning Spaces
A common trend in today’s learning environment is the shared classroom. Many teachers and professors are in and out for different classes, and they need to be able to configure the space in a way that works with their teaching style. Build is lightweight, mobile and energizing! With 5 different table shapes, the design capabilities are endless. Not only is this product functional, it comes in all kinds of bright colors to keep the energy in the environment high.

For Anywhere Else!
Build’s five unique shapes and large range of sizes allow the tables to fit anywhere. Whether it be a touchdown area in an open office, or a collaborative space to bounce ideas off your coworkers, Build has it covered. Using the classic rectangle table is perfect for training applications, or you can spice it up with shapes like Wisp, Ribbon or Kite to get a fresh look! You have complete control over your area and how you want to incorporate your style. Whatever setting you need to be productive, Build sets the foundation.

To learn more about the latest table line from HON, visit the Build spotlight page on hon.com.

6 Creative Ways to Use HON’s Flock® Collaborative Solutions

Wherever people migrate within a space, Flock is designed to support collaboration and bring people and ideas together. Beyond the traditional workspaces and the beautiful dual fabric options, not to mention comfort, here are 6 more reasons to “fall” for Flock this month:

Co-working Spaces | Because “working alone stinks”

NextSpace, a co-working company offering shared office spaces to young entrepreneurs, leveraged the versatility and mobility of Flock to pave the way for the next generation of workspaces. To learn more about the concept of co-working and to read the full NextSpace case study, click here.

From Santa Cruz to Berkeley, Flock solutions have been supporting NextSpace co-working locations in a variety of applications.

 

Lobby and Welcome Areas | One chance to make a first impression

Flock Collaborative Solutions makes the most of open spaces with a collection of comfortable lounge and guest seating, easier than ever to customize with a wide variety of colors and patterns to match any aesthetic.

Installation by Union Office Interiors and Dingo Capital Advisors in the reception of the Ballard Center in Augusta, Maine.

 

Office Nooks | Big Thinking for Small Spaces

Transform seemingly unusable areas in your office into comfortable and inviting spaces. When designed correctly, these are great change-of-pace spaces that invite interaction and provide a well deserved break from heads down concentration.

New touchdown spaces are always popping up at HON Headquarters in Muscatine, IA.

 

Learning Spaces | Collaborating comfortably and socializing in style

Whether you’re using Flock mini ottomans in a middle school library, or Flock seating and tables in a university commons, Flock’s ability to help people connect virtually anywhere makes it a great solution for all areas of the Education market.

Installed by Perry Office Plus, Two-tone fabric Flock mini ottomans at North Belton Middle School.

Shenandoah University installation by Pifer Office Supply.

 

Press Rooms | Beyond the Tradeshow Booth

Donating furniture for a media interview space is an important, and often overlooked, advertising opportunity while planning tradeshows and other events. Not only does it give you additional product signage and talking points when interacting with the media, but it also helps spread awareness of your brand to more than just the event attendees.

HON partnered with Tag Communications to create this inviting interview space at the 2015 Iowa Association of Business and Industry Conference.

 

Personal Living Spaces | Comfortable and customizable 

Flock’s focused family of products is designed to work together to turn any space into a social, collaborative area – even your home sports center! With unlimited fabric combinations and modular elements that fit together seamlessly, Flock is a great fit for the home, too.

The winner of FSI Office’s Ultimate Fan Cave content won this basement makeover.

Bring Flock home today – even your pets will love it!

 

Visit hon.com to learn more about our Flock collection.

Why do you love Flock? Share your installation success stories or creative application ideas with us!

From Smashed Fingers to SmartLink: The Evolution of Classroom Furniture

Do you remember what kind of desk you sat in when you were in grade school or middle school? Chances are it wasn’t anything like the desks we see in our classrooms today.  The style and design of the school desk has changed greatly over the past few decades.   The desks used twenty to thirty years ago were constructed of all wood or a combination of wood and bulky metal, making them very heavy and almost impossible for an elementary school student move around. The older slanted opening top desks (shown below) did not allow for much workspace and the only thing they were good for was smashing your fingers.  With most desks having the chair attached, there was little to no flexibility to accommodate a larger student, wide or tall.  It was as though one assumed all students were the same exact size and shape.

When I was in middle school, it seemed like every couple months my teacher was coming up with new seating arrangement. I remember pushing my heavy desk full of books and supplies with all my might across the room to my new home. It was only a few days later that we would be temporarily reconfiguring our desks yet again to form a circle to discuss the latest edition of Weekly Reader. Because of the design of the older desks, these temporary reconfigurations did not allow for much flexibility while working in groups.

It was only recently that office manufacturers began to address a desk design that allows for teachers and students to quickly and conveniently reconfigure a classroom. HON’s education series, SmartLink^®, is lightweight and streamlined, and students are able to move and reconfigure with little or no effort.  With the increase in the use of technology, the desks not only need to accommodate laptops and tablets, but also still allow ample workspace for the student.  In the modern classroom, collaborative work between several students is becoming the norm.  SmartLink is so versatile and can be used in group pods or lined up in traditional rows. Below are the most popular classroom layouts using SmartLink.

For more ideas on products that can be collaborated with SmartLink student desks, be sure to check the entire SmartLink collection as well as Motivate^® and Huddle training tables.

HON Ready Education Furniture in Texas

Texas-based Perry Office Plus  recently provided Belton New Tech High with brand new HON furniture, including Voi, Preside, Ignition, Ceres, Huddle, 10500 Series, Vicinity, and Accomplish. The school looks great and learning ready! 

Collaborative classroom environments set the stage for the brand new high school program, in which teachers will design real world projects, and students will work together in teams. The high school currently only has a freshman class, but each year a new class of students will join Belton.

Check out the full video story here. How are you promoting your learning environment?