078 FOCUS
Above Despite taking a pandemic-induced hit, ofices may soon see a resurgence
What would you say are the seismic changes from office design pre-Covid and now?
Every significant change or economic downturn tends to give rise to new workplace models and design trends. Nowadays, it is less about physical desks and more about creating spaces where people can come together, meet and work with digital equity, whether they are attending a meeting in person or from home.
Te traditional corporate office no longer suffices, as one client aptly described endless rows of sit/stand desks as ‘seas of sadness’. People now have a multitude of choices regarding where and how they work, so the office environment must offer greater diversity. Many tech companies have successfully achieved this. Airbnb stands out as a prime example of an office environment where their mission becomes evident the moment you step through the door. Teir office design effectively showcases their values and what they represent, while also providing their talent with options for where and how to work. We are also experiencing a pivotal shift in our approach to design from an environmental perspective. Our industry accounts for 40 percent of carbon emissions, a pressing issue that demands serious attention and action from all of us. Carbon tracking has triggered a significant transformation, leading to drastically different expectations for us and our industry partners.
While this problem has persisted for a long time,
people are now giving it the attention it deserves, and together, we are exploring the most effective approaches. How can we achieve this? Of course, there are various certifications clients can obtain, such as LEED, WELL, BREEAM and others. However, many companies are asking themselves, ‘What can we do beyond these checklists to make a greater impact?’. We are working diligently internally and with our clients to navigate this challenge. As a design community, we need to collaborate and pool our best practices and learnings to achieve success together.
What have been the biggest design challenges and opportunities to emerge from the shift in the role of the office in recent years?
Te approach to design as a whole has changed. Te days of providing large physical footprints with scattered amenity spaces and dedicated areas for desks and meeting rooms are behind us. Now, the focus is on offering a diverse range of different types of spaces.
Tis shift in design approach is supported by findings from Gensler’s latest workplace survey. In the UK, more than four in five office workers who have a positive workplace experience attribute it to having the freedom to choose where they work within their office. It is crucial for our clients to pay attention to this data, especially those who are keen on encouraging employees to return to the
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141
