Gurgaon: Steelcase, the global leader in the office furniture industry, today marked the renovation of its Steelcase WorkLife Gurgaon showroom with the exclusive preview of its new Manifesto and Lexicon furnishing system ranges. These new systems were designed specifically for Gen-Y workers now entering the workforce in large numbers in India and the other Asian regions. Steelcase also marked the opening with Think Art, an “art meets chair” themed exhibition featuring inspired works by leading designers and artists in India.

The development of the new Manifesto and Lexicon ranges grew out of insights gained from recent human-centered research conducted by Steelcase to explore the changing ways of working and workplace needs of Generation Y. Steelcase’s research revealed that work styles, new work-life demands and increasing workspace density are all contributing to changing the way systems and storage in the workplace are planned and used.

To provide flexible solutions to these contemporary workplace challenges and the changing needs of Gen-Y workers, Steelcase created Manifesto. A complete system solution with an extensive menu of elements, Manifesto supports 3-dimensional space management, to enable the creation of complete workplaces that facilitate individual and team work in a variety of settings. Manifesto applies five key design principles to make the best possible use of space, helping individuals to work the way they like.

The Lexicon range defines a new dimension in work-life balance. Lexicon makes it easy to create a variety of workplace applications for both individual and collaborative work, with simple solutions for every requirement from benches to desks to panel configurations and tables, using the same range of components and elements. It brings a fresh balance to the need to support work and life, helping balance task and collaborative teamwork, personal and public items, and to enable the personalization of individual workspaces to support the ways people work.

The refashioning of the award-winning Think® chair is Steelcase’s inspired response to creating a working environment that is more fun and creative. Steelcase invited a number of top Indian designers and artists to expand the concept of seating, with highly individual interpretations of Think® chairs that blend aesthetics and functionality.

The event featured the reinterpreted Think® chairs on display that highlighted India’s dynamic creative energy, with three of the designs selected for special recognition.

“Steelcase is delighted to be able to provide a platform to foster India’s design talent and at the same time, to meet the growing needs of the nations next generation of workers, blending the perfect balance of design aesthetic and functionality,” said Uli Gwinner, President of Steelcase Asia Pacific.

Generation Y is the dominant force in shaping India and will have a dramatic global impact over the next 20 years. “In 2011, Steelcase strengthened its India strategy by developing more Gen-Y products to highlight the core concept of ‘you are unique, you are the future,’” added Gwinner. “A growing number of companies in India are partnering with Steelcase to create a better workplace environment that benefits organizations as well as enterprises by helping them to attract, engage, and retain top talent.