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INTERIORS
Around one third of employees in the UK report experiencing musculo- skeletal issues and many operating in more traditional workplace settings remain at their desk for breaks and lunch
splits across more than one level is how to draw people together through this space. Architectural interventions like mezzanine fl oors and centralised connecting staircases can encourage interaction and engagement throughout. So-called ‘collision spaces’ support a coherent point of human nature – that we are social animals. The creation of seating areas for example, at connection points between fl oors or open offi ce touch-down spaces, will see the natural gravitation of employees away from desks into more central spaces for socialisation. In fact, there is a clear demand being seen for leased offi ce spaces which include these spaces for spontaneous interaction. This links to the notion of creating a space that works for everyone – making sure that the same freedom of movement is there through appropriate accessibility measures, allowing all staff and visitors to access spaces easily and equally.
Biophilic design
When asking employees to prioritise their needs for a new offi ce environment, we fi nd that natural light, good heating and controllable ventilation feature at the top of the list. And so, window seats are at a premium and of course, people favour a connection to the outside world. Too many offi ce environments are devoid of good natural light and connection with nature, favouring a much blanker canvas that can in turn result in raised cortisol levels. Biophilic design has come into its stride with businesses pushing for this relationship with the external, living world. Increased natural light and utilisation of live plants in offi ce spaces come hand in hand, with plants offering a connection
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with the living world that can make us feel calmer.
This subconscious internal drive to be linked with nature comes from our inherent makeup as humans, with our deep-rooted earthly origins, and the natural universe being part of our humanity. It’s commonly known that house plants make people happier, so utilising this element within the offi ce space will have the same effect.
Physical & mental wellbeing Around one third of employees in the UK report experiencing musculo-skeletal issues and many, operating in more traditional workplace settings, choose to remain at their desk for breaks and lunch, and to email colleagues rather than going to see them. Offi ces are not about being chained to your desk, especially as the positive impact on both health and productivity is well documented. So, spaces that prioritise movement rather than staying in one place, should always be the optimal route forward.
An area that can be trickier to
navigate is making spaces work for a range of working styles or neurodivergences, where factors and impacts are very individual. Some fi nd it diffi cult to work within noisier environments, while others thrive. So, different types of space within the overall makeup should strive to support all needs, providing safe havens alongside the bigger collaborative spaces – and whether that’s to support neurodiverse needs or simply quiet space to concentrate on harder tasks, productivity fl ourishes in a varied, fl exible environment.
Ruth Evans is an associate and workplace analysis consultant at CPMG
ADF JANUARY 2025
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