Is an individual’s private workspace taking a back seat in modern, collaborative office? Carol Ferrao finds out how designers and suppliers are advocating for a balanced approach in open office layout?
Collaboration’ is the new mantra being fervently adopted in modern office design. Today’s open layout is literally breaking down boundaries, in a bid to provide open and creative environments. Economically it makes sense as it cuts down material costs, in the form of partitions, dividers, etc. But there is a cost still being paid, for in some cases designers might be omitting a key demographic in the process. Not all employees are extroverts – people who thrive well in an social environment and bring out their best work through collaboration.
“Business leaders, many of whom are introverts themselves, are starting to recognise that introverts are a huge and valuable portion of the workforce, and offices need to cater to all kind of work styles,” explains Praveen Rawal, MD, Steelcase India and Southeast Asia. For such employees, a personal space away from the office buzz is where they can focus and provide quality work. Balancing these two demographics will enable an office to be productive.
But does the open office layout – an established norm in office design these days - do justice to such diverse work preferences? Folks at Edifice Consultants believe that crude copies of a good idea have corrupted the essence of the open office plan. “Imagine this: a new way of working, implemented to near perfection by one; an attempt to replicate by another; and the deterioration of it by many more. Think of this as the open office plan, drafted by Frank Lloyd Wright in the Johnson’s Wax building in the 1930s, and blindly imitated for decades on. The end result was cookie-cutter like applications of the open plan, without thought of context, worker sensitivity, and the changing way of work,” opines Laxmi Menon and Marika Mascarenhas of Edifice Consultants.
Denne historien er fra December 2017-utgaven av Commercial Design.
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Denne historien er fra December 2017-utgaven av Commercial Design.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A PIVOTAL SHIFT TOWARDS A NEW ERA IN GOVERNMENT BUILDING AESTHETICS
GPM & Associates transforms a traditional government office into modern, eco-friendly workplace that prioritises employee well-being and sustainable design
A SQUARE PEG IN A ROUND HOLE
This office project by Studio Deshi is a masterpiece that seamlessly blends ancient wisdom with contemporary design principles. The innovative approach creates a holistic environment that fosters well-being, productivity, and creativity, setting a new benchmark for the future of office design.
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The Smart Office Summit 2024 served as a vital platform for industry leaders to share insights and strategies for navigating the challenges of workplace design and infrastructure maintenance.
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In this conversation, Reema Bhandari, Director at M Moser Associates, explores the intersection of design, sustainability, and employee well-being in creating modern workplaces.
THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL TWINS IN THE AEC INDUSTRY: NOIN REGIND FROM DESIGN TO OPERATIONS
Harnessing real-time data and innovative technologies to revolutionise design, enhance operational efficiency, and promote sustainability in the architecture, engineering, and construction sectors
CRAFTING WORKSPACES THAT INSPIRE AND ADAPT
Andrea Andreotti, Chief Design Officer at Ultraconfidentiel, discusses how the firm’s bespoke design approach balances functionality and aesthetics, crafting spaces that are both adaptable and inspiring for the modern workplace.
PATH FINDERS MINDS BEHIND THE BEST WORKSPACES IN INDIA
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The 19th Smart Office Summit, held in New Delhi, explored the future of workplace design, bringing together industry leaders to discuss trends, sustainability, and innovative solutions for next-gen workspaces
SYNQ.WORK PLANS TO INVEST 60 CR. TO ADD 6 LAKH SQ. FT. OF MANAGED OFFICE SPACES TO ITS PORTFOLIO WITH NEW CENTRES IN BANGALORE, PUNE, AND HYDERABAD
Synq.work, one of the leading managed office space providers in India has recently made an announcement to expand the current seating capacity from 3200 to 12,000 by adding an additional 8800 seats by December 2025.
TANGIBLE ROI
How to connect your CAFM to obtain tangible ROI