Altr — modular desk system · Ritwiz Sharma
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Altr

Making your work, more you. Bespoke, modular office furniture for premium co-working spaces in Bengaluru.

Discipline Furniture / Product Design
Sector Office furniture
Year 2023
ALTR desks, all together

Cluttered, messy workspaces create friction that breaks focus and slows down the workday.

A messy desk — the problem ALTR addresses

The beauty in chaos concept was selected and taken forward.

Concept board, modular desk: beauty in chaos, with quick access storage and Tetris-style back separator Concept board, modular desk: invisible, metal exoskeleton and wood veneer desktop with modular separators
Concept board, modular desk: invisible, separator modules with side and under-desk modules Concept board, home office chair: embrace, wrap-around wood and flexible segments
Concept board, home office chair: tranquility, wood back with speakers and charging mat Concept board, home office chair: tranquility, winged headrest with speakers and removable charging dock
Sketch sheet exploring desk configurations
Research session mapping pain points Team reviewing the printed concept boards around a table

Five pre-configurations — academia, creative, fiscal, managerial and technical — each a whole desk.

Academia

For academics deep in research, writing and review — ample room for books, papers, stationery and personal effects like photos and plants.

Academia desk, top-down view
Academia desk, three-quarter view Academia desk, whiteboard and document sleeves on the left panel
Academia desk, left panel Academia desk, right panel
Academia desk close-up, whiteboard and paper sleeves Academia desk close-up, plant shelf and pen pockets
Creative

For creatives working across tools — storage for drawing tablets and headphones, space for figurines and inspiration, a notice board at the back and a whiteboard module on the left.

Creative desk, top-down view
Creative desk, three-quarter view Creative desk, pen and notebook pockets on the right panel
Creative desk, left panel with pegboard, headphones and tablet tray Creative desk, right panel with display shelves and sketchbook tray
Creative desk close-up, whiteboard and pegboard modules Creative desk close-up, figurine shelf and inspiration board

Operators assign a configuration; the member personalises it online before the desk is ever built.

Fiscal

For finance work — generous document storage within quick reach, modules for calculators and personal items, and a whiteboard for calendars and sticky notes.

Fiscal desk, top-down view
Fiscal desk, three-quarter view Fiscal desk, document sleeves and pen pockets on the right panel
Fiscal desk, left panel Fiscal desk, right panel
Fiscal desk close-up, whiteboard, planner and sticky notes Fiscal desk close-up, filing sleeves and calculator tray
Managerial

For managers — a large noticeboard directly ahead with personalisation space alongside, calendars and personal effects on the left, extensive document storage on the right.

Managerial desk, top-down view
Managerial desk, three-quarter view Managerial desk, document sleeves and stationery tray on the right panel
Managerial desk, left panel Managerial desk, right panel
Managerial desk close-up, planner, pegboard and personalisation shelf Managerial desk close-up, noticeboard and filing sleeves

When someone leaves, the desk is stripped back and reassigned — parts refurbished rather than replaced.

Technical

For technical teams — a medium whiteboard front and centre for planning and collaborative problem-solving, tool pouches, shelves and a pegboard on the left, a smaller whiteboard and noticeboard on the right.

Technical desk, top-down view
Technical desk, three-quarter view Technical desk, whiteboards and instrument tray on the right panel
Technical desk, left panel Technical desk, right panel
Technical desk close-up, pegboard, tool shelves and personalisation Technical desk close-up, working whiteboards and reference sheets
The ALTR desk system
Full account

Core Experience was asked to develop bespoke office furniture for premium co-working spaces in Bengaluru — high end, dynamic workspaces where the tenant changes but the furniture stays. The team's answer was ALTR: a modular, B2B desk system where every station can be personalised to the person using it.

It starts from a familiar problem: cluttered desks create friction that breaks focus and drags the working day out.

After finalizing the concept, we designed the desk to be compartmentalized into five distinct pre-configurations: academia, creative, fiscal, managerial, and technical. Each compartment functions as an entire desk with specific attachments tailored to different work needs, giving users a strong base to choose from.

As a B2B product, co-working operators partner with the manufacturer to assign desks to members. Users then log on to a website to personalize their chosen configuration. Once completed, desks are delivered and set up. When an employee leaves, the desk can be reassigned, allowing for new customization. The manufacturer evaluates parts for refurbishment or replacement, creating a cyclical, sustainable system that keeps costs manageable while delivering a highly personalized workspace.

Discipline Furniture / Product Design Systems & service design Visualization
My role Industrial designer 4 months, 2023
Status Concept
Context Team project B2B, premium co-working · Bengaluru
Next project The art of concealing A line of home appliances that complement luxury apartments in India.
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