High numbers of us now work in shared spaces or find ourselves hot-desking around the office. While flexible environments promote collaboration and give employees more freedom, they can leave our creative spaces looking a little bland.

To inject some personalisation into hot-desking, interior designer Christian Pistauer and Judit Maireder, director of brand consultancy firm Y Brand, have launched a start-up called Gustav, described as “the ultimate toolbox for people in flexible working environments”.

Gustav is a portable toolbox that combines personal storage, laptop ergonomics and mobility, and has been designed to be stored in a locker or shelf in a shared office space.

Combining the warmth of real wood with minimalistic white elements, Gustav is made from American oak veneer, plywood and aluminium. It’s also lightweight and easy to transport around. The simple, minimalist design allows the user to personalise it, with room for photos, notes and storage.

“I’ve seen it first hand: one of the downsides of agile working is the difficulty a lack of fixed space can have on people’s emotions. Agile working is great if people have the right tools, for instance, the ability to set up a workspace, which is unique to their needs, in seconds. That’s why we invented Gustav,” says Maireder.

The elegant design has also been recognised as a finalist at the Best Design Awards in New Zealand.