design and interiors


The Future Office


by Sean Artess, Managing Director of Jennor (UK), a specialist construction and office fit-out company.


The economic downturn is acting as a catalyst for design and fit-out firms to re-evaluate workplaces to help companies shave costs and function more efficiently. The need for companies to reduce real estate and operating costs, while at the same time increase technology and connectivity, is forcing them to explore alternative ways of working.


T


ypically the biggest cost that corporate organisations face is real estate. Therefore,


commercial design is finding ways to save significant amounts of money at the point of development and over the life of a lease by reducing the footprint of a building. One of the primary ways they are achieving a reduced footprint is by creating workplace plans consisting of a uniform office and workstation


configuration, with standard furniture and square footage allocation for each job type. Historically, office size and location had been determined by the seniority of the employee. This meant that companies had multiple office sizes and inefficient floor plans. Those old methods are now being thrown out in favour of leaner, cost-conscious organisations that can thrive in this volatile economy. So, workspaces are being designed for function rather than for prestige. This led to offices becoming


more collaborative, open spaces with fewer solid walls and private offices. Instead, divisions in workstations are created by glass partitions and low panels for professionals who thrive on the energy and excitement of an active open office. The downside of an open


environment is that there may 20 British Builder & Developer


not be sufficient space for confidential conversations, client meetings or quiet space to focus on important projects. To counter that, understanding how people communicate in a workspace is becoming increasingly important, particularly as offices now consist of several generations. The multi-generation office is creating a big challenge for design and fit-out firms. After all, the needs of the twenty-something generation vary greatly from those of the forty-something generation. Designers now need to consider how comfortable different age groups are with technology, their ability to adapt to change, how they communicate, and the amount of space they need. While design is focused on delivering fit-outs that maximise budgets, clients are still keen to enable employees to feel like they have some sense of personal


space and individuality, and are rewarded for climbing the corporate ladder. This means that projects demand even more imaginative spatial know-how alongside technical skill and a wealth of project management experience to create an ideal working environment.


Power to Adapt


As well as fundamentally changing the floor plans of an office, the economic downturn is forcing flexibility to the top of the list of requirements for the future office. Flexibility is synonymous with money saving and critical for developers to entice tenants in an economy where tenants are reluctant to commit to leases when their space requirements may change on a monthly basis. Being able to move people around quickly and cheaply has never been more important.


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