Guide to Office Design & Interiors (1)

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Guide to Office Design Interiors
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In many ways, the emergence of this
technologically savvy group has transformed the
way business is done. So it should come as no
surprise that offices are changing to meet their
desire for more comfort, flexibility, teamwork
and an eye for the environment. That means low
walls, more windows, open spaces and relaxed
furniture thats flexible enough to be used for
multiple purposes.
Design of the space and furniture is done around
the task or job, rather than the employee,
including making spaces more creative and
supportive of collaborative problem-solving and
interaction.
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How They Work
To address that, casual lounges, open spaces and
conference rooms with a coffee shop feel are
cropping up in offices across the region.
Younger people have a tendency to multi-task,
and they seem to respond to those comfortable
environments, Sendelbeck remarks. Every company
I talk to is asking for this casual, almost
recreational environment. Its part of an
attitude where a lot of these people are looking
to work more flexible hours. Theyre going to be
working different hours, not traditional hours,
and they need to be comfortable. Getting
employees to do their best work, in the most
productive way, is what office design is about.
But that doesnt mean nobody has a cubicle these
days. Most jobs require some time for
concentration and solitary work. One trend is
smaller personal workstations, with more area
devoted to common space. Workstations used to be
8 by 10 feet, but now theyre more like 6 by 6
now, Tato observes. Personal space is much
smaller, but shared space is bigger. Companies
are focusing on making the best use of floor
space.
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Furniture That Works One answer is flexible
furniture. Workstations today are less formal,
and mobile furniture is more common than ever.
Tato is seeing more multi-use furniture hit the
market, including chairs and tables on wheels,
and desks that adjust to different sizes.
Green Is In Companies and employees are looking
at more than just the furniture 10 years out. The
earth has become a focus, too, and green is in
sustainable products that use as few natural
resources and do as little damage to the
environment as possible. Younger generations take
it seriously, and its coming into play in
increasingly more ways in the office.
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But this isnt just about the building. Design
and furniture can create waste and emit volatile
organic compounds, or VOCs, that come from paint,
finishes, textiles, carpeting and an array of
office furnishings. Using recycled products,
combatting waste and containing VOCs is a new
focus for the office furniture industry.
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Article source http//cincymagazine.com/Main/Artic
les/Guide_to_Office_Design_Interiors_2592.aspx