At NeoCon 2013, systems furniture is really showing off its curves. We’re spotting this trend all over the place from full sized workstations to small occasional work areas. In a world where office footprints are all squares and rectangles, this isn’t the best way to fit the most people into the smallest possible area. However, it probably does tend to make the interior of each station feel less cagey and angular. Plus, it ensures that pretty much everything is within easy reach since there aren’t any far corners. Perhaps we’ll stop calling them cubicles and start calling them “circulars”. Here are a couple of these more curvaceous pieces featured in the Best of NeoCon list curated by Contract Magazine.

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This workstation doesn’t pretend to be a full sized, traditional cubicle. It’s designed to “Bring cohesion to the multiple work areas of the modern office by creating distinct micro work zones or modules that separate yet unify the shared workspace.” These work modules are intended to provide a small but efficient touch down station in the open plan office. Their smooth outer walls won’t be a jarring interruption to the flow of traffic. But the eye-popping colors like those shown on this model would make them hard to miss.

Think…Pod

Thinkpods by fluidconcepts are undeniably the cutest non-cubicles in the bunch. These temporary work pods can provide partial or full enclosure. Inside, an employee can find a little peace and quiet to get work done that requires extra concentration. Multiple pods can be connected together like bubbles in bathwater using the flexible spline. A double bubble might house two coworkers who need to collaborate on a project together.

The extras are what make the pod really fun. For example, you can specify pods with wheels and move these little oases of calm from one spot to another. We imagine employees walking into the office and saying, Hey! Who moved my Pod?” But the coolest thing about the Thinkpod is probably the finish options. You can have the pods printed with custom graphics or artwork for company branding or just to make them look awesome.