Over the next few weeks, there will be some exciting office space changes going on here at Miller Brooks. Part of the first floor (primarily in our PR department) is getting a makeover using some wonderful Kimball® Office products. It is our first “physical” dive into the alternative workplace strategy (AWS) arena.
AWS is a fundamental transformation in the way work is organized, managed and performed. Almost 25 years after the first mention of AWS, we are beginning to see it carried out in some of the largest companies around the world. Central to this transformation are technological advancements that allow a highly mobile, agile and widespread workforce to conduct business anywhere at any time. Real estate cost pressures are another force driving AWS. A more remote workforce utilizes less office space, but can accommodate more employees.
Companies are embracing this fundamental shift to completing work, by scaling back on office footprints and demanding flexible, mobile and scalable furniture solutions that can easily be adjusted up, down or reconfigured as needed. The office of the future brings people together, in an effort to foster collaboration and innovation.
Technology is also playing a critical role in enabling people to work from remote locations whenever face-to-face interaction isn’t necessary; even then, new forms of high-tech virtual telecommunication technology is proving to be a great alternative to face-to-face communication.
One trend related to AWS involves allocating more space for teaming and casual areas: places where people can gather to brainstorm or socialize. A recent Gensler survey found people spend 32 percent of their workdays (more than 2.5 hours per day) collaborating with others. These casual gathering spaces drive demand for more soft seating and marker boards to support team activities.
We’ve also seen an increase in demand for smaller conference rooms that can serve as multifunctional spaces: small team rooms, spaces for private conversations, or areas to focus on work that requires a high level of concentration.
Another offshoot of AWS includes lower panel heights and mobile, flexible furniture. According to research conducted by Judith Heerwagen, a Seattle-based environmental psychologist, 80 percent of office interactions are unplanned and occur as a result of one employee visually monitoring the availability of another employee.
Intrigued? You will be able to see all of these elements in action here at Miller Brooks very soon. Stop by anytime after August 9th and check it out!
Tags: Communication, current events, Design, Miller Brooks, staff, trends, workplace, workspace
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Here’s a little story that actually happened some years ago: an architect friend of mine – after a couple glasses of wine – suggested that all advertising sucked, and that we ad-agency folks should be voted off the island, so to speak.
This got me thinking about architecture and bad buildings. I noted that there are plenty of bad buildings around, but the problem is, you can’t change the channel and get rid of them. Pity.
We need buildings, and we need to get along with them better than we do now. There’s really no excuse for a building that doesn’t serve our needs…after all, we’re the only reason they exist.
So, what should an office building do for us? Plenty, like…
Not make us sick. Indoor air quality in many commercial buildings is awful and makes us sick. Anybody in favor of windows that actually open? Poor lighting (usually too much of the fluorescent variety) gives us headaches, and computer screens cause eye strain. Not to mention, building materials like paint and carpet are off-gassing VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
Be comfortable. It’s a sure bet that everybody complains about the temperature. It’s either too hot or too cold, never just right. There must be a better way to manage the temperature.
Be gentle on the environment. Commercial buildings use a huge amount of energy, and until very recently, they were not designed and built to conserve natural resources. Of course, we occupants don’t help much, by not turning off lights or reducing the trash output from fast-food lunches, Styrofoam/plastic cups and so forth.
Appeal to a higher visual aesthetic. There must be another color besides beige, another light source besides wall-to-wall fluorescent lights, and office furniture that doesn’t make you feel like a mouse in a maze.
Be more collaborative, less hierarchical. All high-functioning buildings are designed for a purpose, with thought and care for enhancing the work that takes place within. When you enter such a space, you know right away that you are in a special place. If it doesn’t feel right, chances are it wasn’t designed right.
Help make us more productive. We go to work to work. Buildings that don’t help us be more productive actually make us less productive.
It’s perfectly OK, in my opinion, to ask a lot from our office buildings. They are expensive to build and maintain. We spend a good portion of our lives in them. They fulfill a necessary human need for collaboration and a sense of community.
Increasingly, these structures are at the center of a productive knowledge-based economy, and they need to evolve to adapt to our changing business needs and requirements.
Next time you walk into your office, start thinking about the ways it should – and could – be made better.
After all, we deserve a nice office.
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May 17, 2012—The faces of MB
