Haworth Stories

Based in Shanghai, MustardTek and Minki Chang help organisations in China and beyond make spaces more inclusive.

In this interview, Minki introduces MustardTek, shares about his personal experience with accessibility and assistive technologies, walks through the inclusive design initiatives MustardTek is running, and shares his hope for a more inclusive world.

Whether you're working on universities, workplaces, factories, or local communities, you'll find inclusive design ideas to consider in this chat with Minki.

Inclusive design helps everybody -- and by hearing about what organisations like MustardTek are doing in cities like Shanghai, we hope you'll find inspiration -- wherever you are, whatever you're working on -- to keep building a better world where everyone belongs.

You can find the text version of this article on our Spark blog (Europe link; Asia Pacific link).

The workstation is the centre of the workplace experience. People come to the office to connect, but they also need to focus. With the right workstation, they can do both.

YourPlace is a workstation family with a solution for every work activity – from individual, intense focus work to large group workshops and brainstorming sessions.

As AI transforms the workplace, design experts are exploring how to create more human-centred environments. Spaces that focus on people -- rather than technology or furniture -- encourage creative thinking, collaboration, and meaningful connections.

6 key trends are emerging. These include:

• Colour Drenching, which energises spaces with immersive colour;
• Curated Collectibles, which incorporates personal and local art;
• Sensorial Design to engage multiple senses;
• Natural Imperfections, which embraces authentic, raw materials;
• Shy Tech, which integrates digital tools seamlessly; and
• Activated Comfort, which creates flexible collab areas away from traditional desks.

These trends demonstrate how thoughtful workplace design can counterbalance digital transformation, ensuring that offices remain inspiring places to create and connect.

7 Design Elements Students Love: Creating Student-Centered Spaces on Campus

Discover how universities are transforming campus spaces to meet today's student needs. This episode explores seven key design elements shaping the future of higher education environments.

Delving into Leesman's 2025 report on hybrid working, The Hybrid Future, this article examines the global effect of hybrid work on 5 key areas, including:

• the impact of hybrid work on employees
• the impact of hybrid work on organisations
• the impact of hybrid work on society and the urban economy
• the need to adapt and tweak (one size does not fit all!)
• the future of work, which continues to evolve