Allsteel Reimagines Showroom Experience with D.C. Design Lab
Allsteel (NYSE:HNI) has unveiled its innovative Design Lab in Washington, D.C., marking a significant departure from traditional showroom concepts. The lab, created in partnership with Gensler D.C., operates as a dynamic workspace laboratory embodying the company's "Living in Beta" philosophy.
The facility features six specialized zones supporting key workplace behaviors: Focus, Mentorship, Innovation, Collaboration, Socialization, and Learning. Key areas include the Social Crossroads + All-Day Cafe, Today's Boardroom Experience, Sustainability Installation, Co-Solutioning Zones, 360° Leadership offices, and Materials Lab + Digital Theatre.
Located at 1050 17th Street NW, the Design Lab serves as an experimental space where clients can actively participate in workplace design solutions, test products, and explore evolving office concepts.
Allsteel (NYSE:HNI) ha inaugurato il suo innovativo Design Lab a Washington, D.C., segnando un netto distacco dai tradizionali concetti di showroom. Progettato in collaborazione con Gensler D.C., il laboratorio funziona come uno spazio di lavoro dinamico che incarna la filosofia aziendale "Living in Beta".
La struttura è organizzata in sei aree specializzate che supportano comportamenti chiave in ambiente lavorativo: Concentrazione, Mentorship, Innovazione, Collaborazione, Socializzazione e Apprendimento. Tra gli spazi principali si trovano il Social Crossroads + All-Day Cafe, l'esperienza Today’s Boardroom, un'installazione dedicata alla sostenibilità, le aree di co-solutioning, uffici 360° Leadership e il Materials Lab + Digital Theatre.
Situato in 1050 17th Street NW, il Design Lab è uno spazio sperimentale dove i clienti possono partecipare attivamente alla progettazione degli ambienti di lavoro, testare prodotti ed esplorare nuovi concetti d'ufficio.
Allsteel (NYSE:HNI) ha presentado su innovador Design Lab en Washington, D.C., marcando una clara ruptura con los conceptos tradicionales de sala de exposiciones. Creado en colaboración con Gensler D.C., el laboratorio funciona como un espacio de trabajo dinámico que encarna la filosofía de la compañía "Living in Beta".
La instalación cuenta con seis zonas especializadas que fomentan comportamientos clave en el entorno laboral: Enfoque, Mentoría, Innovación, Colaboración, Socialización y Aprendizaje. Entre las áreas destacadas están el Social Crossroads + All-Day Cafe, la experiencia Today’s Boardroom, una instalación de sostenibilidad, zonas de co-solutioning, oficinas 360° Leadership y el Materials Lab + Digital Theatre.
Ubicado en 1050 17th Street NW, el Design Lab es un espacio experimental donde los clientes pueden participar activamente en el diseño del lugar de trabajo, probar productos y explorar conceptos de oficina en evolución.
Allsteel (NYSE:HNI)가 워싱턴 D.C.에 혁신적인 디자인 랩을 선보였습니다. 이는 기존의 쇼룸 개념에서 크게 벗어난 움직임입니다. Gensler D.C.와 협업해 만들어진 이 랩은 회사의 "Living in Beta" 철학을 구현하는 역동적인 작업 공간 실험실로 운영됩니다.
시설은 업무 행동을 지원하는 여섯 개의 전문 구역으로 구성되어 있습니다: 집중(Focus), 멘토십(Mentorship), 혁신(Innovation), 협업(Collaboration), 사교(Socialization), 학습(Learning). 주요 공간으로는 Social Crossroads + All-Day Cafe, Today’s Boardroom 경험, 지속가능성 설치물, Co-Solutioning 존, 360° 리더십 오피스, Materials Lab + Digital Theatre가 포함됩니다.
1050 17th Street NW에 위치한 이 Design Lab은 고객이 직접 참여해 업무 공간 솔루션을 실험하고 제품을 테스트하며 진화하는 오피스 개념을 탐색할 수 있는 실험 공간입니다.
Allsteel (NYSE:HNI) a dévoilé son Design Lab innovant à Washington, D.C., marquant une rupture nette avec les concepts traditionnels de showroom. Conçu en partenariat avec Gensler D.C., le laboratoire fonctionne comme un espace de travail dynamique incarnant la philosophie de l'entreprise « Living in Beta ».
Le site comprend six zones spécialisées qui soutiennent des comportements clés au travail : Concentration, Mentorat, Innovation, Collaboration, Socialisation et Apprentissage. Parmi les espaces phares figurent le Social Crossroads + All-Day Cafe, l'expérience Today’s Boardroom, une installation dédiée à la durabilité, des zones de co-solutioning, des bureaux 360° Leadership et le Materials Lab + Digital Theatre.
Situé au 1050 17th Street NW, le Design Lab sert d'espace expérimental où les clients peuvent participer activement à la conception des lieux de travail, tester des produits et explorer les concepts de bureau en évolution.
Allsteel (NYSE:HNI) hat sein innovatives Design Lab in Washington, D.C. eröffnet und damit einen deutlichen Bruch mit herkömmlichen Showroom-Konzepten vollzogen. Das Labor wurde in Zusammenarbeit mit Gensler D.C. entwickelt und fungiert als dynamisches Workspace-Labor, das die Unternehmensphilosophie „Living in Beta“ verkörpert.
Die Einrichtung umfasst sechs spezialisierte Zonen, die zentrale Verhaltensweisen im Arbeitsumfeld unterstützen: Konzentration, Mentoring, Innovation, Kollaboration, Soziales und Lernen. Zu den wichtigsten Bereichen zählen der Social Crossroads + All-Day Cafe, das Today’s Boardroom-Erlebnis, eine Nachhaltigkeitsinstallation, Co-Solutioning-Zonen, 360°-Leadership-Büros sowie das Materials Lab + Digital Theatre.
Das Design Lab in der 1050 17th Street NW dient als experimenteller Raum, in dem Kunden aktiv an Arbeitsplatzgestaltungen mitwirken, Produkte testen und sich mit sich entwickelnden Office-Konzepten auseinandersetzen können.
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New Co-Solutioning Concept Embraces “Living in Beta” Model to Support Evolving Workplace Needs
Washington, D.C., Sept. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Leading workplace innovator Allsteel has opened its Design Lab in Washington, D.C., a dynamic, hands-on environment designed to explore the future of the workplace. Reflecting the brand’s “Living in Beta” philosophy, the lab operates as a living laboratory, an agile, evolving space where experimentation meets intentionality. Created in partnership with Gensler D.C., the Design Lab highlights Allsteel’s deep investment in the D.C. market, bringing together physical space, research, and human-centered design to support meaningful workplace transformation.
A departure from the traditional showroom model, the D.C. Design Lab has been designed to support six foundational workplace behaviors – Focus, Mentorship, Innovation, Collaboration, Socialization, and Learning – through a network of adaptable, intentionally designed zones, as part of Allsteel's broader Intentional Office framework. These settings invite clients and specifiers to engage in a real-time design process—experimenting with layouts, testing products, and using digital planning tools to co-create adaptive solutions. Additionally, the lab will be consistently refreshed with new products and prototypes, both in response to and anticipation of evolving market needs.
“The Allsteel D.C. Design Lab shows how intentional design can enable smarter work styles and authentic human interaction,” said Jason Heredia, Allsteel Vice President of Marketing and Client Engagement. “It’s not just a space, it’s a working laboratory where we continuously test ideas, learn from our clients, and evolve. This is what it means to live in beta: to listen, adapt, and lead through intentional design.”
The Design Lab represents a collaboration between leading architecture and interior design firm Gensler and the Allsteel Workplace Advisory (WPA) team. Marrying Gensler’s hands-on experience with the latest WPA research, the lab features different zones to emphasize a diverse range of approaches to the offices and styles of work:
Social Crossroads + All-Day Cafe
Located at the front of the lab, this zone fosters casual interaction and transitions between work modes. Visitors can engage in conversation, decompress between meetings, or participate in impromptu gatherings. The adjoining café space extends this informal feel, encouraging collaboration and connection through food, hospitality, and a welcoming atmosphere.
Today’s Boardroom Experience
This light-filled zone reimagines what a modern boardroom experience can be—serving as a high-visibility destination for presentations, hybrid collaboration, and purposeful conversations. Rather than functioning as a standalone room, the space is supported by a pre-function area that acts as a transition zone between the workplace and more formal engagements. This buffer area supports meeting prep, soft gatherings, and post-meeting decompression, enhancing the experience for both in-person and remote participants.
Designing for Impact
More than a static feature, sustainability is an ongoing conversation within the Lab. A dedicated installation encourages ongoing discussion and education around circularity, material transparency, and waste reduction. Through physical displays, evolving best practices, and client engagement, this zone serves as a space for teaching, learning, and activating sustainability in real time.
Co-Solutioning Zones
At the center of the lab, these zones embody Allsteel’s collaborative planning approach. Clients are invited to experiment with mockups, planning tools, and workstation layouts that support user autonomy, comparison, and refinement. Each zone is designed to support iterative decision-making and give clients confidence in their selections.
360° Leadership: Redefining Private Offices
The lab presents a range of practical office environments designed for different leadership styles and modes of work:
- The Creator – for deep focus and strategic planning
- The Conductor – for in-person interaction and team mentorship
- The Coach – for welcoming, one-on-one development conversations
- The Commuter – for hybrid-friendly, drop-in use
These thoughtfully designed offices integrate flexibility, hospitality, and digital equity to support both individual and team success.
Materials Lab + Digital Theatre
The Materials Lab is a resource for real-time design—where clients can explore finishes, test combinations, and make confident selections with the support of digital tools. Nearby, the Digital Theatre serves as a flexible venue for presentations, learning, and larger social engagements, all styled in a color palette aligned with D.C.’s refined aesthetic.
"Creating the D.C. Design Lab alongside Allsteel was an opportunity to respond directly to the unique pace and culture of Washington’s design community,” said Emma Chang, Principal and Design Director at Gensler. “Every space is intentionally crafted to support collaboration, innovation, and digital equity—hallmarks of the region’s forward-thinking workplace strategies. The expansive windows and grand ceiling gestures create a striking street presence while welcoming abundant daylight inside, fostering an inviting environment where the design community can gather and imagine the future of office space."
The Allsteel D.C. Design Lab is now open at 1050 17th Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, D.C. 20036. The lab will welcome visitors by appointment, offering a personalized experience of the future of work. For more information or to schedule a visit, please visit www.allsteeloffice.com or contact our D.C. team.
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About Allsteel
Since 1912, Allsteel, an HNI Company, has offered a world-class, comprehensive range of workplace products and solutions. We simplify the office planning process by helping our customers align their workplace strategy with their business strategy. The result is fit-to-business solutions that deliver meaningful change in a way that works for them today, as well as tomorrow. Allsteel has showrooms in Boston, Chicago, D.C., Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco. For additional information, visit www.allsteeloffice.com or follow Allsteel on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.
About Gensler
At Gensler, the value of our work stems from its positive impact on the human experience. We are a dynamic and collaborative design firm uniting creativity, research, and innovation to solve complex problems for our clients. Our work challenges conventional ideas about architecture and the built environment. We aren’t just designing buildings — we are reimagining cities and places that make a difference in people’s lives. Founded in 1965, Gensler has built a team of 6,000 professionals who partner with clients in over 100 countries each year. Everything we do is guided by our mission: to create a better world through the power of design.
Majesty Henry Allsteel 7086546686 majesty@novitapr.com
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