Big pinboards, also known as noticeboards or corkboards, are quintessential office artifacts closely associated with bureaucracy and governmental institutions across Europe, including Germany. Despite the shift towards digital storage for documentation and information, these physical boards persist as anachronisms, evolving in their function and significance within modern office spaces.
Originally designed for posting notices or serving as wall newspapers, pinboards have undergone a transformation. Today, they are unofficially repurposed as acoustic insulators and personalized elements within office environments. These boards serve as tangible reminders of the individuals working nearby, acting as placeholders and embodying the concept of spaces where little to no change or rotation occurs.
In an era where administrative positions are increasingly supplanted by artificial intelligence or eliminated due to budget constraints, pinboards adorned with postcards, stickers, memes, and photos may become the last vestiges of human presence in these settings. They not only display mundane signs of human activity but also reflect the creation and maintenance of comforting zones within sometimes hostile work environments. These boards therefore underscore the importance of manifesting individuality through seemingly simplistic designs.
By artistically examining the changing role of pinboards, this project showcases how these artifacts, once central to office communication, now serve as silent witnesses to the enduring need for human connection and personalization in the workplace, provoking reflection about the future of knowledge transfer practices.