I’m sort of a latecomer to Mad Men. But thanks to the magic of Netflix and Apple TV, during the last couple of months, I’ve been able to watch the 39 episodes that have brought me to the beginning of season 4. So since I’m just on the cusp of the big switch (from Sterling/Cooper to Sterling/Cooper/Draper/Pryce), I’ve got the evolution of the office on my mind. In short, we’re we to extrapolate a Mad Men look straight into 2012, I’ve no doubt that these contemporary ad men would turn to Allsteel’s Beyond in order to re-define the mise en scene of the workplace.

Beyond Frameless Architectural Glass Walls. Manufactured by Allsteel.

Allsteel’s Beyond Architectural Walls Shine at NeoCon 2012

The innovative, modular system of movable glass walls recently wowed the legions at NeoCon; it’s easy to see why. For Beyond—with its scissor-lift mechanism, its unitized frameless ½ inch glass, and its optional privacy tile system—exceeds the wildest dreams of office planners not only in Chicago, but from L.A. to Manhattan and across the pond to all parts East.

The principal reason for Beyond’s global appeal is its modular frameless system, which not only facilitates easy installation, easy adjustment, and easy relocation, but does away with the solid partitions common to conventional systems, thus creating walls (and adding vaunted privacy), while simultaneously opening up the space, letting in the light, contributing to valuable LEED points, and embracing the open schemes that make life better for all.

In other words, “the functionality of Beyond Architectural Walls is unsurpassed, and the product is able to support three levels of workplace change quickly and easily.” These are, in short order: movable walls, movable doors, and the quick-change privacy offered by Beyond’s Tile Adhesion system.

This last feature makes Beyond exceptionally versatile, enabling on demand alteration of spaces—“from private office to conference room or to a team space with visual privacy achieved exactly where it is needed.”

Other options for Beyond include various shelves in glass or aluminum, multiple styles of work surfaces, and rapid customization courtesy of rails or “buttons” that attach onto the pre-perforated glass: “The desired aesthetic is always assured, with a flush base trim and vertical filler strips that keep the look clean and concise.”

About the Manufacturer: From the unlikely locale of Muscatine, IA, Allsteel, Inc. holds fast to their conviction that “there’s always a better way to improve efficiency and foster teamwork.” The company has a serious stake in keeping pace with evolving workplace trends. Just so, they’ve recently released such award-winning products as Acuity seating, Seek stacking chairs, and Merge conferencing tables. The company also boasts the distinction of being the first contract manufacturer to earn certification of all products as Indoor Advantage or Indoor Advantage Gold—standards set by the EPA for indoor air quality and low emissions of VOCs.