by Brianna Crandall — July 5, 2013—Global workplace products, furnishings and services provider Steelcase introduced new elements of its media:scape collection along with other product introductions at NeoCon 2013 in Chicago June 10-12. Available fall 2013, the three new elements were all entrants in the Best of NeoCon Competition: media:scape Virtual PUCK in the category of Workplace Technologies, media:scape TeamStudio under Conference Room Furniture, and media:scape Kiosk under Office Accessories.
Through the integration of furniture and technology, media:scape is designed to reshape the way people collaborate in a connected world. media:scape with high-definition (HD) videoconferencing increases innovation and boosts collaboration across the table and connects teams across the globe, says Steelcase.
Steelcase says that most collaborative work spaces today support leader-led presentations where information is controlled and shared by one person at a time, and explains that media:scape removes these barriers and democratizes how people access and share information by allowing all participants to contribute their ideas—equally, quickly and seamlessly.
media:scape technology was designed for a “walk-up and connect” experience; as Steelcase explains, users “Open. Connect. Share.” To collaborate with a group, a user opens the media well and removes a Puck; connects it to their individual laptop, notebook or tablet; and shares what is on their laptop by pressing the Puck. Once the first device is connected to a puck, the media:scape automatically routes its output to the mounted HD display, and other team members can follow suit.
The components of the system are:
- media tables: shapes developed to enhance collaboration, available in lounge, seated and standing heights
- media:scape with HD videoconferencing: components to host third-party videoconferencing systems
- media lounge: seating component
- interactive technology built into media tables
Available fall 2013, the new media:scape Virtual PUCK advances the collaborative experience with a new technology that enables anyone to wirelessly share content to multiple media:scape displays via an app that can be easily downloaded onto any computer, tablet or mobile device. Eliminating the need for a hard wire connection with a physical PUCK, the desktop app features a simple, easy-to-understand user interface and works from anywhere in the room.
media:scape TeamStudio is a dynamic conference room environment designed to support distributed project teams, connecting local and globally distributed teams and removing both physical and virtual barriers to collaboration. Designed to allow participants to freely engage with both analog and digital tools, TeamStudio creates an environment optimized for active collaboration.
media:scape TeamStudio harnesses social, spatial and informational dynamics for both near and far-side video participants. The company says it is ideal for large and small group interactions, with or without video. The worksurface configuration allows for circulation between adjacent workspaces, and the standing height provides optimized sight lines for active project teams, and promotes alternative postures for healthy movement. TeamStudio transforms as quickly as the conversation, easily hosting a large team brainstorming session or a small breakout session.
media:scape Kiosk is a complete videoconferencing destination optimized for one or two people. At standing height it is ideal for casual, quick informative conversations in an open-plan workspace, says Steelcase, and at seated height the Kiosk can accommodate longer-term generative and evaluative working sessions in a small enclave or workstation. media:scape kiosk was designed with key video factors in mind, such as lighting, sightlines and acoustics.
