Posts Tagged ‘Design’
June 7th, 2010 in Trends No Comments
Beyond the cube, workplace design now embraces such lofty concepts as enhancing communication, facilitating work-in-process, managing technology and providing an up-to-date alternative to “cube life”. Sound too easy? Let’s break it down. 
- Planning principals begin with storage and work surfaces, not cubicle panels.
- Natural light is shared and collaboration is enhanced.
- Work in Progress is displayed & organized as the user wants it.
- Wires, cords and connections are smartly managed and easily accessible.
Access to natural light can be increased by lowering panel height. If privacy is then an issue, incorporate translucent privacy screens. (more…)
June 7th, 2010 in Design No Comments
Gone are the workplace concepts of the 1970′s. Floor plan designs created isolating and non-stimulating environments. Physical barriers of cubicle design, circulation patterns, and the lack of daylight views for most employees blend together to inhibit collaboration and inspiration.
Teams are therefore slower complete tasks, thus affecting team, and individual results.
Workplaces also must be reinvented to accommodate new technologies, beyond just the impact of wireless technology. New hardware and software is causing workers to think and behave differently, and therefore, accomplish daily tasks in a new way. (more…)
October 21st, 2009 in Design 1 Comment
When you think of office space, what comes to mind? Perhaps Dilbert and endless rows of cubicles, Milton Waddams and his red Swingline stapler from Office Space, or Dwight Schrute from The Office? While these images may bring a chuckle, the characters have garnered a cult following simply because, WE CAN RELATE.
Perceptions of office space form because of media portrayals and due to daily interaction with our own places of work. The recent meteoric rise of Mad Men on AMC into popular culture reminds us that timeless design is still prized. The cars, wardrobes, immaculate hairstyles and suits represent a time when innovation and design were interchangeable. However, what is our modern interpretation of the office? And what is the tradeoff when low-cost practicality trumps aesthetic and quality? (more…)
August 24th, 2009 in Green 2 Comments
Green buildings are getting a lot of attention these days for their environmental and health impacts and long-term cost savings. For all this attention, notes the author, many of these buildings fall short of expectations in their acoustical performance. Part of the problem seems to be that LEED and other rating systems don’t include specific acoustical credits, and designers are simply too caught up in more top of mind considerations to even think about this issue. The good news is that open-plan green workspaces can get the proper acoustics as easy as ABC… (more…)
